Hope For Tomorrow
by KymberlyBlack
Summary: Roslyn Hawthorne is a mutant,a feral,trying to find her place.She thinks the answers lie with her absent father,but when the search for him becomes more than she bargained for,will she accept the help of new friends,or shun them for someone darker?
1. Chapter 1

** I've never tried a X-Men fanfic, but have always wanted to. So this is me giving it a whirl. Let me know if it's no good, or what-not. I'm always up for critique, criticism, help, etc. Oh, and main character's name is pronounced Ross-lynn.**

Looking in the mirror, I couldn't see a monster. But that was what they called me. My icy blue eyes took in my appearance. I had red hair so dark it was the color of garnets. Or blood. My skin was naturally porcelain. I didn't look like a monster to me. But when I focused on my mouth, on the teeth my lips hid, I knew why they called me it. I had fangs. Like an animal. I pulled my lips back in a mock snarl. Only it didn't look fake. I quickly shut my mouth.

"Roslyn! Sweety, come out."

I could hear my mother. Her labored breathing, her heart racing. I could literally smell her emotions. I shook my head. You can't SMELL people's emotions.

I opened the door, and she stood there holding herself.

"Well...how bad is it..."

She was afraid. I used my hand to pull my top lip up. She gasped.

"Oh, honey, your teeth. Look at your fingernails!"

I looked down. I didn't have the nerve to tell her that they had been like this for four years now. For four years I filed my nails down and I pulled my fangs out. But they grew back. They always did.

"I know."

I could see sadness in her eyes. But I couldn't tell if it was for me or her.

"Principal Wilkins said your expelled. I don't know what to do Rosie."

She had reverted to using her pet name for me. I didn't know what to say, so I stayed quiet.

"I could find a new job, we could move..."

She didn't want to. Her life was here, with her boyfriend, and their son. I was 18 now, legally I could leave.

"I could leave."

She looked at me, and the sadness left her eyes.

"Roslyn Hawthorne, don't you talk like that. We are a family, and that's the way we're gonna stay. I don't care what any piss-ass bigot says. Your not a monster. Your my daughter."

My mom's southern twang was coming out. I smiled at her language. She would only let me see this side of her. Her rough tough southern belle side.

"Are you sure?"

I opened and closed my hands. My nails looked like talons, or claws. And they were sharp. I was always cutting myself with them.

"Look what I'm capable of."

I held a nail over my forearm and with the littlest pressure, I split it open like I was cutting paper. Blood seeped out.

My mother jumped up and grabbed my arm, trying to put pressure on it.

"Oh baby, why did you do that?"

I could feel it healing as she ran into my bathroom and came back with a towel. A look of astonishment came over her features as she dabbed the blood away to see no wound.

"I heal mom. I can also hear, see, and smell really well."

She nodded, and took a seat on my bed. She looked so lost.

"I don't know what to do here baby...I want you to stay. Hell, I want to watch you graduate from High School, then college. Then give you away at your weddin'."

I laughed softly. She had such high hopes for me. But I was a freak, a monster. I couldn't do any of those things. Not here.

"I'm sorry baby. I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

I looked at her, trying to understand.

"Your daddy..."

"You said my daddy died."

"I lied."

"Your daddy was like that. He had claws, and teeth. I'm sorry Rosie. I never thought you would be like him. Shit, I didn't even know I was pregnant until after he was gone. But you was born healthy, no abnormalities."

"Where is he?"

"Sweetheart, I don't know. He was just travelin through. And I was young."

"What's his name, what's he look like? I can find him, and he can tell me what I am."

"His name is Allan, Allan Black."

"What's he look like? Where was he goin?"

She got up from my bed and headed out the door. I followed her, ignoring the ringing of my iphone. She walked into her bedroom and over to her closet. From the top shelf she pulled down an old shoe box. Gently setting it on the bed and removing the cover, she began to rummage through it.

"Here he is."

She handed me the picture. Three guys, and one young girl. I looked like him, I realized. I had my mother's lips, and nose. But everything else, was from him. He had deep red hair, light blue eyes. He was tall, and muscular. I looked closely at the photograph. I could see his claws.

"Who are these guys?"

I pointed at the two other men in the photograph.

"Two of his army buddies."

"They have names?"

She looked deep in thought. She had taken the picture back from me to study it. That's when I noticed the print on the back.

"There's names on the back."

_Allan Black, Vivian Hawthorne, Jim Howlett, Victor Creed. 1988_

"Where were they goin?"

"Over to Iraq or some place like that. Getting ready for Desert Storm."

"Okay. Ma, I'm taking this. If I can't find Allan, maybe one of his old buddies knows where he is."

"They're dangerous Roslyn. Especially that Victor. He was like Allan too. More animal than man."

"I'll be careful, but I gotta know."

She nodded. I thought she would fight me more on this. Maybe she really just wanted me to leave. Either way, it didn't matter. I knew who my biological father was, and I was going to find him. He had some questions to answer.

_Later that night._

"She's not normal Vi."

"Don't you talk about her like that!"

They were trying to whisper, but I heard. My mother knew it too.

"What if she hurts someone? Huh, ever think of that?"

"She won't...Allan was a good man..."

"You knew the guy for a couple of nights Vivian..."

I came down the stairs, no longer content to hide in the shadows.

"I made up my mind. I'm leaving in the morning."

"Roslyn.,you know I think of you as a daughter, but..."

"Shut up Greg."

He looked at me, and I could taste his anger. He wanted to hurt me.

"Rosie..."

I looked at my mom and smiled.

"I looked online. I've got the addresses of some Allan Blacks. The two others weren't listed anywhere."

"Are you sure this is what you wanna do sweetie?"

"Yeah, it is."

"Okay. I can't stop ya. You bring your phone with. Don't worry about the bill. I'll take care of it. I don't want you out there without a way for me to get a hold of you."

Greg nodded, but remained silent. I think he would have given me the keys to his BMW if it would have got me out of the house faster.

"What have ya got for money?"

"I'd been saving up everything for the Chevelle, so I've got almost $8500, and the money I got from graduation cards. So about $9000."

My mom smiled, it was sad, and happy at the same time.

"I was gonna give this to ya when you graduated."

She handed me a bulky envelope. I opened it and a set of keys slid out. I looked at her, and then at the keys, and back to her.

"Mom!"

"I had old man Warren keep it in the front yard, with the sign so you didn't get suspicious."

I didn't know what to say, so I pulled her into a hug. She gave me the car of my dreams, and she was letting me go.

"It's all gassed up out front."

I nodded.

"I'm gonna miss you."

Greg disappeared downstairs. I could hear him rummaging around.

"Where you going first?"

I started to tell her when Greg came back up the stairs holding a small safe. He set it on the table in front of him. I looked at it quizzically, and then at him.

"You may not believe it Rose, but I do think of you as a daughter. But your dangerous now, not only for us, but for yourself. You need to find people like you, people who can help you understand what you are."

He picked up a gun from within the safe. It was a Desert Eagle .357 Magnum.

"I know you know how to shoot, so I want you to take this with you. Put it under the seat, keep it in your purse. Just make sure you can reach it."

He handed over the heavy gun, along with a box of shells.

"Thanks Greg."

"Do me a favor though."

"Yeah?"

"Don't kill anyone with it. It's registered to me."

I laughed, and shook my head.

"I'll try not to."

He nodded.

We sat down there, my mother, Greg and I until the wee hours of the morning. We were hammering out details. Greg even brought some maps up and was helping me choose highways and motels.

"Don't leave without saying goodbye, ya hear?"

My mom pulled me into another crushing hug. Deep down, I think she knew I would be gone before she got up.

It was nearly dawn before I crept down the stairs and out to my car. I spent the night deciding what came and what stayed. As quiet as I could, I opened the trunk and put my suitcase inside.

After I shut the trunk, I just marveled at my car. 1970 Chevy Chevelle SS. Black. With leather seats. Sure it could use a new coat of paint, and the interior could probably be redone. But the engine was solid, and it was mine.

I smiled and got inside. My mom had even had a cd/mp3 player installed. With a jolt of excitement and trepidation, I slid the key into the ignition and the beast roared to life. I shifted it into gear and tore off down the driveway.

I had money, a good car, and a big ass gun in my purse. I felt invincible.


	2. Chapter 2

** Second chapter already...This story seems to be dominating my brain as of late. So I thought it best to just have it out. R.R.E.**

Driving south on highway 95 through Nevada, the heat from the desert sun seemed to be against me. I had to pull over once already and add water to the radiator.

I stopped at a gas station in a small town called Mina. I topped off my gas, and picked up some more water and junk food. Vegas was still some ways off, if I was reading my map correctly. About four or five hours worth of desert driving.

"Lost sweetheart?"

Without looking up from the map, I said;

"No. But it would be great if you got lost."

The desert heat was not agreeing with my temperament.

I heard a masculine laugh, and then the map was ripped from my hands. I turned to see a tall, skinny man with dirty blonde hair and stupid sunglasses leaning in.

"I know what you are freak."

My lips pulled back involuntarily, forming a snarl.

"Then you know what I can do, so back the fuck up before you get hurt."

He glanced from my exposed canines, to my clawed hands that were gripping the wheel tightly.

"Oh, I know what your kind is capable of."

I let out a small growl. Instead of sinking my claws into him like I wanted too, I opened the door with enough force that it sent him flying back on his ass. He dropped my map in the process. I got out, picked it up and got back in my car. I was done with this asshole. The Chevelle started with a roar, not unlike my own and I tore out.

10 miles, 15, 25. And I was still pissed off at the little shit back at the fucking Hicks'R'Us gas station. I suppose I was going to have to get used to that. With more force than necessary, I cranked the volume dial on my radio and sang along with Let the bodies hit the floor.

_A few hours later_

It was dark out, and most of the desert heat had disappeared. Sitting in my jean shorts and t-shirt, I began to get chilly. I took my eyes off the road for a few moments as I reached into the back seat to grab a light sweater.

It all happened so fast, one second, the road was clear. And the next, there were big 4x4's parked in the road, facing me. I slammed on my brakes, turning to avoid a head-on collision with them. The car lost traction when it hit the sand and did a 180. I sat stunned for a few seconds, trying to piece together what exactly happened. My labored breathing slowed down. What the hell were those trucks doing in the middle of the road?

I felt my hair stand on end. I could hear men talking from the road.

"Ha! Bet that scared the bitch."

"Not as much as this is gonna."

I heard the crunch of their boots on the sand. They were coming after me. I sat, unsure how to proceed. Why were they after me? Was it the guy I pushed at the gas station?

"We know your in their freak!"

I never fought a day in my life. Never had too. I cursed myself for not taking that woman's self defense class last year. I had the gun, but if I wasn't going to shoot them, what good would it do? They had guns, rifle's probably. I could smell gun oil.

"Come on out honey. We just wanna talk."

I snorted. That's not the message I was getting.

"What do you want?"

I heard a round of laughter, and they began whispering.

"I get this bitch first."

"Sloppy seconds is fine with me. Just don't tear her up too bad."

"I'll try boys, no guarantee."

They shared more laughs, but stayed put. They were about 10 feet from the back of my car.

"One more time freak, come on out, or I'm gonna come over there and get you. And you won't like that. I promise."

Name calling I could handle, but threatening to rape me? I felt anger boil up. A snarl escaped my lips. Twisted Transistor began playing softly. Smiling, I cranked it up, and opened the door. My calf length biker boots crunched as they hit they hit the sand.

"Look at them legs."

"Told ya she was a looker."

"Oh, fuck yeah."

My braid was handing over my left shoulder, reaching down to stop at my chest. I fiddled with it, trying to look nervous, scared.

"Come on baby. We won't hurt ya."

There was only three of them. One was a fat fuck, the other was skinny like Gas Station guy. They looked related. I slowly walked over to where they were. I wasn't sure what I was gonna do, but I wanted them at ease, until I struck.

Gas Station guy set his gun down and came over to me. He did a slow circle around me, his lecherous eyes scanning every inch of me. I swallowed down a growl. When his hand came up to touch my braid, I grabbed him. One arm behind his back, twisting it upwards, my other hand was holding his throat. I used him as a shield.

"You BITCH, you FUCKING BITCH!"

I gave a rough pull upward, and heard his muscles stretching and snapping in his arm. He howled in pain.

"Throw the guns behind me."

The two other looked at me, but remained still. They had their guns at half mast.

"Do it, or I'll break his arm."

I gave another push, and he squealed.

"Do what she says dammit!"

They both heaved and the guns landed well behind me.

"You like picking on mutants? Huh?"

Nobody answered. I gave a final lurch on his arm, breaking it. I pushed him into his buddies and ran back for my car. I whipped it around so I was facing them. I revved, and they began running.

"Crazy bitch!"

I considered chasing them like this, but found I really didn't want to. I just wanted to leave. So I turned my car around, and carefully drove onto the road and around their trucks.

I passed countless hotels promising me everything from free cable, to free adult movies and more. I shuddered to think what was more. This was the outskirts of Vegas, so I really wasn't surprised. I was tired, but I didn't think sleep would come easy. I had broke a man's arm, but that wasn't what was bugging me. They had talked like they had done it before. I shuddered. Maybe I should have killed them, or at least blew their dicks off. I pondered this as I passed a large sign that said Welcome to Las Vegas. I smiled, but it fell off in a second. It was the middle of the night, so I couldn't go knocking on someone's door without running the risk of getting my head blown off. I would have to find a hotel, a base of my operations here in Vegas. I didn't want anything flashy. I needed a place where people minded their own business and didn't look twice at you.

I finally settled on a motel. It had a dirty pool, hourly rates and all the free porn I could handle. The up side was that the parking was in the back, so my car wouldn't be seen from the road. It was wifi enabled, and I couldn't find it on the internet. So I was set.

I entered the office and was overwhelmed with scents. Liquor, vomit...and I was pretty sure someone just had sex in here. I tried to school my face, but with senses this high, I could practically taste everything in the room, and I was ready to tag these walls with my chuke.

I rang the bell and waited. I rang it again. I heard a noise and realized someone didn't have sex awhile ago, they were having it now. I couldn't hear it over the tv earlier.

I rang the bell a few more times. Getting impatient, I picked the bell up and winged it at the door where the sounds were coming from. It crashed into it, making a large dent in the door, and then crashing to the floor.

"What the fuck!"

The door flew open and I was greeted by a man, only a little older than me. He was tall, slightly built, with dark brown hair and eyes. He was quickly shoving himself inside his pants, and zipping them up.

"What the fuck do you want?"

My eyebrows shot up into my hairline. Apparently $35 dollars a night did not include hospitality.

"A room. I'll pay by the day."

"Oh you will. What the fuck you think this is, the Bellagio?"

"No. I think I give you my money, you give me a key, and then you can get back to fucking that dumpster slut back their."

His eyes got wide, but I saw a small smile grace his lips.

"For your information, she's a hotel slut."

"Ah."

He handed me the registry, and I had to laugh. The names on here were ridiculous. You had George Washington, Delight Butts, Misty Beaver. When I looked up, I noticed he was staring at my claws. I quickly curled my hand into a fist, hiding them.

"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me. I looked up and saw his eyes change colors. First they were blue, then green, and eventually, black.

"Neat trick."

"You should see what I can do with the rest of my body."

"Are you propositioning me?"

He shrugged his shoulders and smiled at me.

"Ease up Romeo, I'm not looking for any action."

"Your loss."

I smiled and shook my head.

"So, according to this registry, I should sign as a historical figure, or a hooker."

"Ah, well actually."

He leaned in closer over the counter.

"When one of us comes in here, I have them sign using certain names."

"Why?"

"Well, some of us come here in hopes of finding others like them. For those I have them sign in as Matt Nu. It's an anagram for mutant."

"Yeah, I got that. What if I'm looking for someone certain?"

"Have his name?"

"Yeah, Allan Black."

"His real name?"

"That is his name."

"No, that's this slave name. His human name. I'm Shift. Because I can change my shape."

"I don't know his other name."

"What's his gift?"

"I, I think he's like me."

I held up my claws.

"A feral huh? Plenty of those around. But I've never seen a girl feral before."

"Feral?"

"Animalistic mutations. Claws, fangs. Some even have fur, pointed ears and tails."

"Oh."

"What's your name?"

I hesitated, but I saw no reason not to tell this other mutant.

"Roslyn."

"Your real name?"

"I don't want another name. I'm Roslyn."

"Alright. But you'll get tagged with another one, whether you like it or not. And it goes a long way with others like us."

"I'll think about it. So what do I sign my name as?"

"Put your first name, so Roslyn, and then add Fatal Men Rut."

"Excuse me?"

"It's another anagram. Any familiar mutant will read this and see, Roslyn, Feral mutant."

"These are pretty easy anagrams, aren't you worried about somebody not like us coming in and figuring it out?"

He laughed, and then shook his head.

"Look around you Roslyn. This is a seedy hotel, in an even seedier neighborhood, in Vegas. Nobody gives a shit."

I nodded.

"How long you staying?"

"I don't know. I have an address I need to go check tomorrow..."

"Where?"

"Uh...i have it in my computer."

"Why you looking for this guy? This Allan Black."

"He's my dad."

"Ah. And you want him to tell you all about your mutation."

"Something like that."

"Don't mean to disappoint you, but ferals have lots of kids. They have a heightened sex drive. All they do is fuck and kill."

I wasn't sure what to say. So my mom was just one lay among hundreds? Thousands? And I was just one more bastard kid?

"To be honest, I'm surprised one hasn't sniffed you out yet."

"What?"

"Male ferals are always on the hunt for a good, rough fuck. And you can handle the damage they throw out. So your the prime rib of all bitches. Believe me, when one finds you, and one will, he's gonna do everything in his power to keep you. The illustrious mate."

"How do you know all of this?"

"My father's a feral. For all we know, we're kin!"

"Is he here? Can I talk to him?"

"Did you not just hear what I said?"

I looked at him confused.

"One look at you, one sniff, and my father would rip your clothes off and fuck you into the floor."

"I thought you were joking."

"You wish."

"So, if I find my father, will he try and..."

"I don't know. My dad's told me about some ferals who've done it to their own kids. I guess it depends on the ratio."

"The ratio?"

"The man/animal ratio. If he's more animal, then you can bet your sweet ass he will. It's his nature. But if your lucky, and he's more man, then he'll recognize you as kin, and hopefully he won't be that fucked up. You never know. There are a lot of sick people out their. Especially in your group."

"Great, and I thought the assholes in the desert were fucked up."

"Assholes in the desert?"

I told him about the men who tried to attack me. He looked mad, hell, he looked pissed.

"Fucking F.O.H."

"What's FOH?"

"It's the Friends of Humanity. They're a bunch of mutant hating fucks."

Just then a noise from the back room caught my attention. The girl, the hotel slut, came walking out. She wasn't wearing any clothes.

"Are you comin back or what?"

"No, get the fuck out of here."

She looked at me with contempt, and then stalked off.

"I don't think she likes me."

"Your gorgeous, and she's a human whore. Who cares?"

I didn't say anything. I wasn't gorgeous. On a scale of one to ten, I was a seven, maybe an eight when I tried. And she was a person, not just a human whore. I was beginning to see things with new eyes. Someone was always a second class citizen, it just depended on whose eyes we were looking out of.

"You hungry?"

"A little."

"Come on, we'll go get something to eat, and I'll try to explain everything to you."

"Explain what?"

"Your clearly not up on recent events. The registration act? The cure? Any of this ringing any bells?"

"No."

"I thought so."

_ Ten minutes later, at Panty Palace_

"This is a strip club!"

"Yeah, so what? It has good food, and is mutant friendly."

"Oh my god."

I kept my eyes down as I walked through the main area. Shift laughed at me.

"My, my. For a feral, your a prude."

"I am not. I just don't want them to get the wrong idea."

"They actually take offense if you don't look."

"Shit."

I lifted my head in time to see a naked, middle aged woman doing the upside down splits on a pole.

"I could have gone the rest of my life without seeing that."

Shift laughed long and hard.

"What are you having?"

"I don't know..."

I scanned the menu quickly. Wow. I got to choose from wings, mozzarella sticks, or nachos.

"Mozzarella sticks I guess."

"Really?"

"Yeah why?"

"It's the first time I've ever seen a feral not order meat."

"Yeah well I'm a female. I'm different."

"That you are. Tell me something."

"What?"

"How do you deal with the urges?"

"What urges?"

"You know, blood lust, sexual lust. The urges. My dad has a hell of a time."

"I have no idea what your talking about. I have never had blood lust. And my sexual urges are none of your business."

He laughed again.

"Oh man. Your a virgin to top it off. Great. They're gonna be tearing down my motel to find you."

But I wasn't listening. I hadn't noticed earlier because I had my eyes down. But sitting at the bar was one of the guys from my picture. Excitedly, I dug into my pocket and examined it. Yup. It was him.

"Do you know that guy?"

Shift looked where I was pointing.

"Uh, yeah. His name is Logan."

"I'm going to talk to him."

Shift choked on his beer. It spilled down his chin, and sprayed all over the table.

"He's a feral too. You are either really stupid, or reckless."

"The second one."

I got up before he could protest. I was nervous walking over to him. What if he attacked me? I took a deep breath.

"James Howlett?"

He didn't acknowledge me. He had thick, dark hair that came to small points on either side of his head. Even his chops were thick and dark. I couldn't see his face completely, but from the rest of him, which was ripped, I could tell he was dangerous.

"Mr. Howlett?"

Still no answer. Shift had called him Logan.

"Logan?"

"No thanks honey."

"What?"

He turned to look at me, and I was startled. He was handsome. Incredibly handsome.

"You ain't a hooker."

"Uh, no. No I'm not. My name is Roslyn Hawthorne."

He nodded, but I could tell he was humoring me. He gave me a slow once over, and I felt like he could see through my clothes.

"Too bad."

"Mr. Logan, I'm looking for my father."

"What's that got to do with me girl?"

"His name is Allan Black. You were in the same..."

I didn't get a chance to finish. Logan pinned me between himself and the bar, with three large, metal claws digging into my neck.

"Who sent you?"

I shook my head, but I could speak. His claws were drawing blood, and I was freaking out. I did all I could think of. I held the picture up so he could see.

"Please..."

It was all I could squeak out.

He released me quickly, and I fell to the ground, grasping. I could see Shift, he was moving slow and low.

"Don't even think about it bub."

Shift stopped in his tracks. I had a hand to my neck, but already the wounds were healed. It was just a reaction.

A hand roughly grabbed me up. I stood, a little shaky, but I managed. Logan was looking at me.

"You look like him."

I didn't say anything. I was out of my league. These men, mutants, ferals, whatever, were stronger and faster than me.

"Why you lookin fer him?"

"He's my father."

"You said that already. Why you lookin' fer him?"

"He's like me. I just want some answers."

He snorted and gulped down the last of his drink.

"Answers? Kid, you ain't gonna get any you don't already know."

I was getting angry. He was laughing at me, just like Shift did.

"That's for me to judge. If you don't know where he is, then just say so, and quit dicking around with me."

"If I was dicking with you, you'd know it girl."

Filled with anger I reached for the photograph, but Logan saw it coming and moved it away at the last second.

"Give it back."

"Or what?"

I wasn't playing his game. I had already scanned the picture when I was at home. So I had a copy on my laptop. I looked at him and then turned and walked back towards Shift.

He put an arm around me and led me over to the table. Our food was sitting there, but I didn't have an appetite.

"Are you okay?" Shift whispered.

"Yeah, just pissed off."

He nodded his head.

"Told you male ferals were a pain in the ass. Think they RULE THE WORLD!"

He yelled the last part. I smiled. Then he looked at me seriously, and leaned in,

"So, do we need to get that photo back?"

"No, I have a copy on my laptop."

He nodded.

"Hey, what's with this we stuff?"

He looked at me, and tilted his head.

"Your looking for your daddy. Your daddy knew Logan. Logan was in all kinds of bad shit back in the day. Mutant experiments, assassinations, you name it. So if we have to assume your dad was, or still is, part of that world."

"That's more reason to not help."

"Are you kidding me? And miss out on all the danger and sweet action? I don't think so. I'm helping, whether you like it or not."

"And if I say no?"

"I work my own angle, and stalk you."

"You may be able to change your appearance, but I have your scent. You can't change that."

"Sister, please. You have no idea how to use your skills yet. Your just a baby."

"I'm 18."

"Yeah, and Logan is over 200 years old. He knew what you were the minute you walked in that door. He may look like he's just sitting over there, drinking his whiskey, but he's really listening to everything we're saying."

I looked over and saw a small smile ghost over his lips before he took another shot.

"He can do that?"

"And more. He knows how well everyone in this bar can handle themselves. Especially in a fight. He uses his senses, listens to them. Why do you think he started goading you? He knew you were no threat. Not to mention your a tight little virgin feral."

"Shut up Shift!"

I knew I was blushing like crazy. If he didn't know it before, he knew it now.

"Oh, here he comes. Still have time to run."

I slid so I was closer to Shift in the half circle booth.

"Darlin', you sure you want to find your daddy?"

"Yeah."

He sighed and ran a hand over his face. He was stalling.

"Either point me in the right direction, or get out of my way."

He laughed and shook his head.

"Settle down darlin', I'll help ya."

I eyed him suspiciously.

"Why?"

"Let's just say I've been looking fer some people from my past too."

I looked at Shift. He knew this Logan character better than I did.

"Gonna kill them?" Shift asked.

"Yup."

Shift nodded and said, "Okay."

Logan looked at me.

"We doing this darlin'?"

They way he said it, and the look he was giving me, said he was talking about much more than looking for my father.

"You wish. Where do we start?"

"Tomorrow, same place, same time."

Logan got up and left. I noticed he didn't leave the picture. I pursed my lips, and then turned to look at Shift. He looked a little pale.

"What's wrong."

"Did you see who was in the picture with him?"

"What? My picture? It has my mom, my dad, Logan, and a guy named Creed."

"It was him."

"Him who?"

"Victor Creed."

"Speak English."

"You don't know who Victor Creed is?"

"No."

"In Germany they call him Der Schlachter."

"I don't speak German."

"It means the butcher."

"He's bad news huh?"

"Bad news? Huh, I wish he were only bad news. Nobody he hunts lives. Half the time they can only find pieces of the unlucky SOB. He's the most badass mutant out there."

"Okay, at first I thought you were afraid of him, and now it sounds like you admire the guy."

"It's a little of both I think."

"How can you admire a man that rips people apart? Or has a nickname like the butcher?"

"That's just what the Germans call him. He's like you. Doesn't really want a mutant name. Likes his own just fine. Everybody just calls him Creed."

"Does he have a mutant name?"

"Course he does. It's Sabretooth."

"So what do we do if we run into him while looking for my dad?"

"Ask for a quick death? I don't know, you might be able to outrun him, females are faster than males. But if he catches your scent, your done for. He'll hunt you until he finds you. And Creed is one of those ferals I was telling you about. He won't think twice about raping you."

"Okay, let's not run into him them."

"Agreed."


	3. Chapter 3

**These chapters are flying out of me at record speed. It's crazy! R.R.E. Oh, and thank you Lady-Gummy-Bears. You know you rock.**

I had a lot to think about when I got back to the hotel. Shift left me with my things. I think he sensed I needed to be alone.

I kept coming back to what he said, about feral's being more animal than man. How could they let that happen? Sure I had urges. I lied to Shift about that. Sex was easy to ignore, or take care of. But sometimes I would see a deer, or a bunny, and I had to fight the urge to chase it down. It wasn't that hard. I would go for a long run, followed by a rare steak. It worked for me.

I kept thinking as I stripped to get into the shower. So maybe other ferals didn't try? Or maybe their urges were stronger? I shook my head and stepped under the cool water.

My mind wandered to Logan. He said he was looking to kill people from his past. I hope he didn't mean my father. Realistically, I don't think it would phase me either way, especially if he kills him before I get a chance to meet him. It would be disappointing. But I didn't love him. He was the sperm donor, not my dad. I needed to remember that. I began humming to myself as I finished washing my hair, and all the other duties of a woman in the shower. I was just rinsing my face when I heard my phone ringing.

"Oh shoot!"

I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around me, not bothering to turn the water off.

"Don't hang up mom, I'm coming!"

I knew she couldn't hear me, but I said it anyways. I always did. I ran over to the nightstand and picked it up.

"Mom!"

It was good to hear her voice. I sat down on the edge of the bed, listening to her.

_Baby, a man came to the house today. Said his name was Charles Xavier. He runs some kind of school for kids like you. Called it, Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. I gave him your number honey. You mad at me?_

"No, that's good. Maybe he can give me some answers."

_You do wanna go back to school right? Graduate and go to college?_

"I'm not gonna jump the gun. We don't know this guy from Adam. But once I talk to him, and if I think he's legit, then probably. I only have half a year left."

_I'm good with people Rosie, you know it. And this man cared. He seemed ecstatic that I knew about your gift. Gift, that's what he called it._

I smiled.

"That's great mom. I hope he calls soon then."

_I do to honey. So...Where are you?_

I realized the shower was still running and I got up and walked into the bathroom to turn it off.

"Vegas."

_Oh, baby you be careful._

I heard Greg ask where I was in the background. My mom told him. They began to argue for a few moments, about Greg talking to me, and then he came on the line.

_Roslyn? It's Greg._

"Yeah, I got that. What's up?"

_No troubles on the way? The car didn't overheat or anything did it?_

I could hear the smile in his voice. The malice directed at me. He knew what happened back in the desert. He was involved somehow. I had to warn my mom, without tipping him off.

_Roslyn? Did you hear me?_

"Sorry, I'm loosing the call. Bad reception here. Put my mom on before the line goes..."

_Okay._

I heard the shuffle of handing the phone over.

_Baby? Can you hear me?_

"Yeah mom. Connections fine."

_Then why..._

"Mom, listen,

"I think that you know me well enough, Watson, to understand that I am by no means a nervous man. At the same time, it is stupidity rather than courage to refuse to recognize danger when it is close upon you."

We both loved Sherlock Holmes. I just hoped she understood the context in which I was saying it. She was quiet, but I could hear her breathing. I could also hear Greg. He wasn't to far from her.

_Okay, baby. Call me when you get better reception. I love you._

"Love you too."

Then she was gone. But she knew. I heard it in her voice. I felt a pressure I didn't realize I had leave my chest. She could protect herself. I had faith in that. I was just about to get into the shower when my phone rang again. It was an unknown number. I was about to ignore it, when I felt pressure in my head, followed my a calm, serene male voice.

_Answer the phone please Roslyn_

I blinked a few times, not sure if I was hallucinating.

_This is not an hallucination. Please, answer the phone and I will explain._

I picked up my phone and slid my finger across to answer it.

"Hello?"

"_Roslyn, this is Professor Charles Xavier."_

"Oh...Sorry about not answering the phone Professor. I was..."

_"When I entered your mind, I glimpsed your conversation with your mother. And what happened to you in the desert."_

"Wow. That's amazing. But really creepy. Violating creepy."

_"I am sorry Roslyn, but it was at the forefront of your mind. I had to get through those thoughts to speak with you. I would never enter your mind, or violate your person in such a way if I did not deem it absolutely necessary."_

I believed him. His voice was sincere, calm and steady.

"I believe you."

_"Thank you Roslyn. You are currently in North Vegas are you not?"_

I blinked a few times, making a face. He knew where I was? Well, duh. I smacked my forehead with my free hand. He read my mind.

"I am."

I said it a little wearily. Why did he want to know where I was?

_"Roslyn, I believe you are in danger. You have met Logan, am I right?"_

"Yeah, I met him earlier today actually."

_"Good. Roslyn, Logan is a part time teacher at my school. I have asked him to stay with you until the jet arrives."_

"Wait..What? Who am I in danger from? Where did you get a jet?"

_"I will tell you everything, after you have arrived safely to the school."_

"School?"

_"Roslyn, please. I know you are nervous, and I know you want answers. I need you to trust me right now. Can you do that Roslyn?"_

"Ye...Yes."

_"Good. Logan is almost to your room. I suggest you get dressed and pack. He has very little patience."_

I nodded my head, but then said,

"Okay."

_"I will see you soon Roslyn."_

I didn't say bye. I never did. I flew over to my open suitcase. I grabbed skinny jeans and pulled them on. I didn't think I had time for underwear. I found a bra, and a black tank top. I was just pulling it over my head when the door opened violently. I looked up shocked.

Logan stood, framed by the door and the artificial light from outside. He slowly moved into the room and closed the door.

"Ready kid?"

"Don't you knock?"

He smiled and leaned against the door. I saw him watching me as I scrambled around, trying to make sure I had everything. I slipped my boots on and was set.

"Jet's here, we gotta go kid."

I followed him outside, when realization struck me.

"What about my car?"

Logan looked back at me.

"Get another one."

"It's a 1970's Chevelle. Numbers matching. You don't just get another one."

Logan looked at me, and then to where I was pointing. My black stallion.

"I'll see what I can do kid."

The noise from the jet was insane. My ears felt like they were going to explode. Not to mention the hellacious wind, and debris kicked up by it's engines.

It was unlike anything I had ever seen. Black as night, with a sleek, strange body shape. It seemed futuristic, but not unbelievably so. A hatch in the back opened as they hovered above the nearly empty parking lot. A white haired woman, and a woman with red hair came down the ramp. Her red was lighter, more luminescent.

Logan was handing my one bag up when gunfire rang out. I ducked as it pinged off the ramp.

"Logan, it's the FOH, we have to leave!" The red head shouted.

I turned and watched them storm the parking lot. I watched them enter the lobby, and I felt fear grip me. Shift was back there. I took off running, dodging Logan's outreached arm as he made to grab for me.

I slammed my body full force into the man closest to the door. He went sailing with the impact. I entered the lobby and found only one man here. He was holding a shotgun. He leveled it at me and I snapped. He wanted to shoot ME? I pounced forward and lurched the gun from his hands. I swung it like a baseball bat and cracked him in the head.

"SHIFT!"

I saw a man I didn't recognize get up from behind the desk. When he saw me, he smiled, and I watched as he melded back into the Shift I knew.

"Jesus. That was freaky."

He grinned.

"We gotta get out of here!"

I held my hand out for him and he hoped over the counter and took it. We ran back out the lobby doors. The parking lot looked like a war zone. What few cars there were, were on fire. Mine seemed to be fine. But the jet's hatch was now closed. I knew if we stood out here much longer, we would get noticed and have to join this fight. Not something I wanted to do.

I dug into my pocket frantically and pulled out my car keys. Better than nothing. Shift saw me do it and knew what I was up too. We ran for my car at the same time. We were almost there when I saw Logan take a shotgun blast to the face. He fell back cold.

"Wait, Shift. We gotta help Logan."

I saw Shift's eyes follow mine. He gulped and then nodded.

Although I wasn't sure how. I saw that Shift was looking around too. Then he began to well...shift. He suddenly looked like a guy that was unconscious behind us. He ran over to the man who was by Logan, and told him they found more freaks in the front, holed up in a room.

The man took off, yelling about finding more freaks. Soon they were all gone around front. I stood up from where I was hiding, and gave Shift a grin.

"That, was awesome."

"I know. My power kicks ass. Now lets get him in the car."

We each took an arm and began to drag him toward my car.

"Fuck, he's heavy."

I had to admit, even with my added strength, Logan was heavy. Like he weighted twice what he should.

Getting him into the car was not easy. I had to fold the seats forward and try to carry him in. I was glad he was unconscious, because it would have been embarrassing. I put a leg on either side of him, and leaned down so I could link my arms under his. So for most of the time, he had his face buried in my chest. When he was finally in, I dropped him unceremoniously and crawled out of the car.

Shift spent the entire time laughing at me as I grunted and cursed at Logan.

"That sounded dirty."

"Thanks for all the help!"

I heard the sound of footsteps, and got into the car. Shift got in the other side, and I brought the beast to life. Now I heard yelling, but I was already in reverse. I put my foot down and tore out of the paring lot, leaving a trail of burned rubber in my wake.

_10 minutes later_

Shift and I were laughing off our adrenaline. I had no idea where we were going, but I knew we needed to get out of Vegas. I headed east when I hit the highway.

Logan had begun to groan a few minutes back. Shift was keeping a wary eye on him, in case he woke up thinking he was still fighting. I didn't need his metal claws tearing up my leather, or my flesh.

We both jumped when my phone went off. I smiled sheepishly at Shift, and he returned it.

"Hello?"

_"Are you alright?"_

It was Charles. Somehow I knew it would be.

"Well, Shift and I are. But Logan took a shotgun blast to the face. He seems to be coming around though."

I looked over and saw Shift mouth the question, Who is it?"

"I'm talking to Charles Xavier."

He nodded in understanding. I guess he knew him then.

_"I can feel him waking as well. Keep east, the jet will meet you when you are far enough from the city. And Roslyn, listen to Logan."_

I rolled my eyes. I heard him chuckle.

_"He may be gruff, but he will keep you both safe."_

"Alright."

I hung up. I could feel Shift's eyes on me, so I glanced over to him.

"How do you know the Professor?"

"He contacted me tonight. Let me know about the FOH."

"And now your going to his school, right?"

"Yeah."

Shift made a disgusted noise and turned forward.

"Take the next exit and let me out."

I was startled. He was mad at me. Livid actually.

"What? Why?"

"I'm not going to that school."

"The Professor can keep us safe."

"Oh, yeah. Hiding in some school."

"What's the deal?"

"Take this exit."

I did as he asked. I wasn't about to take a hostage. I stopped at the closest gas station. Shift got out without a word. I watched him walk away.

"Don't worry about him."

Logan's voice made me jump.

"How long have you been awake?"

He grinned as he pushed the seat forward.

"Since right before you put me in the car."

My face fell. And then I blushed like crazy. We had some very intimate contact during that time.

He laughed and got out. I grabbed my purse and followed suit. I watched as Logan walked into the store. I had to admit, he was as nice to look at from the back, as he was from the front. I shook my head at the thought, and began to pump some gas. I clicked the little lever in place, and let go of the pump. Leaning back against my car, I ran a hand through my hair. I hadn't gotten the chance to brush it after the shower, and now it was a wavy mess. Lucky for me, messy, wavy hair was in right now. I was pulled from my inner thoughts by a cat call. I looked over and saw a couple of men sitting on bikes. They were elbowing each other and pointing at me. I heard the loud thud that indicated my tank was full. I pulled the nozzle from the tank, and set it back in it's spot. I tightened the gas cap and headed for the store. I was almost there when one of the guys jogged to catch up to me.

"Me and the guys were wondering. Does the carpet match the drapes?"

My eyes got wide. And then narrowed into slits. I put a hand on my hip and gave him a slow once over, and then made a face. He was watching, and his grin slipped.

"I guess it's something you'll never find out. Now scram, I got shit to do."

At that I turned and walked into the store. I could hear his buddies giving him shit for being shot down.

I didn't see Logan, but I could tell he was in here somewhere. I browsed around a little, not sure what I would need as far as food. I didn't know how far I had to travel before I met up with the Professor's jet.

I was trying to decide on peach rings, or gummy worms when I felt a hand land on my shoulder. I twirled around and grabbed the assailant by the shirt.

Too bad it was Logan.

"Easy kid. Don't let them guys get ta ya."

I glared at him as I bent over and picked up my now discarded gummy treats.

"My name is Roslyn. Not kid, not girl. Roslyn."

Logan nodded and said no more. He simply followed behind me as I continued to browse.

"Hey Logan..."

I turned around to ask him a question but ended up bumping into him. I hadn't realized he was so close.

"Sorry."

He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips.

"How far before we meet up?"

Logan looked thoughtful for a second, and then his face split into a grin.

"Westchester County, New York."

"Excuse me?"

"You said you wanted to keep your car. Now you can. It's just gonna take us awhile longer."

I was about to argue, but I realized I did say I wanted to keep my car.

"The Professor is okay with this?"

"Not really. But I convinced him you would throw a tantrum if we left your car."

I huffed and walked away from him. I never threw a tantrum in my entire life. I reached the register and put everything down. I had soda, water, candy, beef jerky. The works.

"Long trip ahead of you?"

The clerk was a cute young boy, about my age or so.

"Yeah."

"It's that beast out their yours?"

"Sure is."

"Jealous. I've got an old Trans Am."

"Please tell me you jam in it."

"With a cut off t-shirt I do."

Now we were both laughing. He finished ringing me up, and we made some more polite chit chat, before I stepped aside for Logan.

"Whoa, this your dad?"

"Yup."

Logan's heard whirled around to look at me.

"Man, your ripped. I'd hate to be the dude that drops your daughter off late."

I nodded and headed out. Mostly because I couldn't contain the laughter anymore. I laughed all the way over to my car. I was still laughing when Logan got in. He shut the door and looked me. I tried really hard to hold my face, but I felt it cracking. I began laughing again, this time setting my head down on the steering wheel.

"I ought to throttle ya."

I sat up, wiping a tear from my eye as I did so.

"It was funny, and you know it."

Logan shook his head, a small smile on his face.

"Do you ever laugh?"

"Not very often."

"Hate to tell you this Logan. But your boring."

"I ain't boring."

"Are so."

I started the engine and put it into gear. I got us out onto the highway.

"How long do think it will take us to get to Westchester?"

"Depends."

"Is it a rule that you have to answer questions with as few words as possible, or do you just like to piss people off?"

"I ain't one fer talkin' much kid."

I didn't say anything. I decided if he wasn't going to call me by my name, then I wasn't going to talk to him until he did. I pulled my sunglasses off the visor and turned my cd player on and began rocking out to Disturbed's album Asylum. Two things in my life that would never change. I will always love Disturbed, and my aviators.

**"How can I feel this empty, I will not recover this time. This loneliness is killing me... AH!"**

"Hey kid?"

Instead of answering I sang louder.

**"Don't you know I'm in love with you? and I wasn't ready for asylum!"**

"Kid!"

**"To let go, now it's dragging me into your grave. Your asylum!"**

He leaned forward and turned the volume all the way down. Too bad for him I know all the words.

**"Death's images are are all around again. They're right behind me. They're going find me. Judgment for the immortal sin, that have enveloped me completely!"**

"ROSLYN!"

"Yeah?"

"Why in the hell didn't you answer me before?"

"I told you. My name is Roslyn. Not kid."

He shot me an irritated look.

"Well...How would you like it if I ran around calling you man all the time. Man. Man. Man. It get's really fucking annoying."

"Alright ki...Roslyn."

"Good. Now what did you want to ask me?"

"Why you listening to this crap?"

"Oh you did not just call Disturbed's music crap. I should pull over and beat your ass."

He chuckled.

"I listen to them because I love David's voice. He has the perfect balance of rough and silk. Not to mention he's hot, and their lyrics are great."

I handed him the Asylum case. He set about going through it, looking at the pictures.

"This the guy?"

I looked over quickly to see him pointing to David.

"That would be him."

"He ain't nothing special."

"I beg to differ. But your a man, so naturally, you wouldn't find him all that attractive. Or would you?"

I gave him a little eyebrow raise. His face was priceless. He looked shocked for a second, and then anger etched all over it.

"I DON'T LIKE MEN!"  
>It took everything in my being to not laugh at him.<p>

"A simple no would have sufficed."

He looked at me then, and leaned towards me.

"You like teasin' me don't ya darlin?"

I looked at him sideways. Something had changed. I'm not sure what, but Logan seemed, different.

He was getting closer, and I had to struggle to sit still. I wanted to lean away, but I was trapped.

"Am I makin' ya nervous?"

"Yes."

"Good."

He was so close I could feel his breath on my ear.

"What are you doing?"

He answered me by grabbing my face and turning it to the side and locked lips with mine. I tried to keep my eyes on the road, and push him off.

The car jerked, and Logan let go. I corrected quickly, narrowly avoiding slamming into another car.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?"

All he did was smile.

I huffed. He almost killed us! I was so worked up that I was having a hard time concentrating. It was late, and I had got no sleep. I saw a sign for a motel with vacancy. I cut across the lanes, getting a few honks and some middle fingers. Logan had to put a hand on the dash to steady himself. I smiled. To bad he didn't slam his head or something. I pulled in and shut the car off.

I got out without a word to Logan and headed for the office. They only had double occupancy rooms left. Which was fine by me. Logan could get his own damn room.

As I exited, Logan tailed behind me.

"Which one we in?"

"We? Oh, no. You can get your own damn room."

He pushed me against the wall, using his body to hold me there. I froze, not sure what to do.

"You sure you don't want me in there with ya darlin'?"

It took me a second to understand his invitation.

"Get off me! You think just because your a male, you can push me around?"

Logan backed up a few paces. He looked at me and then shook his head.

"You are givin' off mixed signals girl."

"Huh?"

Logan took the key from my hand and headed down to the room. I followed, only because I was curious about what signals I was giving off.

"What signals?" I yelled as I ran after him. Once we were inside, I asked him again.

"You know what I'm talking about."

He looked angry, and something else.

"I don't."

"Bullshit."

I sighed and sat down on the bed. I had no idea what he was talking about. I felt the bed sink in next to me.

"You really don't know?"

His voice was quiet, but I heard him.

"No."

He got up and paced. An idea dawned on me.

"Does this have something to do with my mutation?"

He nodded and continued to pace. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I smelled urine, feces, garbage, old sweat, and Logan. He was frustrated, flustered. And turned on.

"I don't know what signals I sent you, but I'm sorry for it."

"Ain't yer fault kid, Roslyn. It's hard to be around a female. Ya smell so damn good."

I self consciously leaned down and took a whiff of me. I didn't think I smelled like anything good. Just Rosewood, and cocoa butter.

"Is it a mating thing?"

He didn't speak, just nodded.

"I gotta get some air. Stay in here, don't answer the phone, or the door."

I nodded my head, and watched him leave. I felt terrible that I flustered him so much. I really didn't mean to. I was just being...me. I sighed and laid back on the bed. I wished Shift was here. He knew so much more about all of this than me. Instead of wallowing, I decided to see if I could hear what was going on in the rooms around me. Shift said male ferals were stronger, but to keep the balance, the female feral had higher senses, and was faster. Well Logan was beating me on both counts, something I planned to rectify.

I listened intently, trying to focus, hear everything. After a few minutes I sat up in frustration. Maybe I was doing it wrong. Sure I had good hearing, but it wasn't better than Logan's. I relaxed against the headboard, and tried again. This time I didn't concentrate. I just sat, relaxed. That's when it all flooded in. I could hear insects buzzing and crawling, whispers two rooms over. Hell, I could hear the heartbeat of the desk clerk. I smiled to myself.

_45 minutes later_

I could hear Logan's breathing, his heavy footfalls. I grinned, having mastered one skill so far. I jumped up and opened the door before he could. He was visibly startled.

"I thought I told you not to open the door."

"You did. But I knew it was you."

He growled and made his way inside.

"Look Roslyn. I talked to Chuck, and he, I, we think it's better if you hop the jet, and I drive the car..."

"Never gonna happen."

I knew I had cut him off, but if he thought he was gonna use my baby as some cross country pussy wagon.

"Let me finish would ya?"

I sighed, and gestured with my hand for him to go on. I was only doing it as a courtesy. My mother had bought me that car. It was the one thing in this world I owned outright. It was all I had really.

"You fly, I drive. Safer for us. You."

"Try you fly, and I drive."

"Never gonna happen."

"Then take a bus. Or a train. But I am not leaving my car. And I am not letting anyone else drive her."

"Kid, you have some bad people after you."

"What the FOH? A bunch of sloppy, disorganized, red necks."

Logan shook his head.

"It ain't just the FOH comin fer ya, Rose. Chuck picked up two more ferals hot on yer scent."

"So I drive straight there, sleep in the car, in police parking lots, or something. I'll be fine."

Logan ran his hands through his hair and growled in frustration.

"What?"

"Why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm not. Your the ones being difficult. I was content just trying to find my real dad. And then you showed up. And Charles. And my life went from a angst y Disney flick to an R-rated adventure porno."

Logan's dark brow furrowed, and for a moment, I was worried he wasn't keeping up. I don't know why, but he just looked like someone who was all brute, and no brain.

"Your the one that came up to me in that strip club princess, not the other way around."

His smile was one of anger. It was bastardy.

"I recognized you from the photo. Kinda wish it was the other guy now."

Logan's brows shot up, and then came crashing back down. His entire face warped into something fierce and angry. His laugh was short, terse, and hollow.

"Oh, you mean Sabretooth? Honey, if you'd have walked into that joint, smelling like you do, he would have stuffed you in every hole you have. He'd have you begging for him to stop, and ya know what? That would just make him do it more. He'd rape ya, violate ya, do things to you that would kill any other woman. But you'd heal. And then he'd start all over again."

I licked my suddenly dry lips. Okay, maybe I didn't mean what I had said. But was that really necessary?

"Oh, ya scared now? Not scared enough. Because you can bet one of those big bastards on your trail is him. And he ain't never lost what he was hunting. Not once."

I felt tears brim my eyes. I quickly blinked them away. I got up off the bed quickly and headed out the door. I was leaving. And I wasn't going to stop driving until I was safe, with Professor Xavier.

"Where you goin?"

"I'm leaving."

"Right now?"

"Yes."

Logan looked confused. I unlocked my door and slid inside. Firing up the engine I hesitated, my hand on the shifter near the floor. Did I want to take Logan with me? He was a male feral, just like the others. And they were dangerous. He proved it himself earlier when he almost made me crash my car, and again when he pinned me against the building.

I was confused, I didn't know who to trust. And I was scared. I didn't realize I was crying when I heard a light tapping on the passenger window.

"Let me in Rose."

I looked at him with new eyes. He was strong, he could easily overpower me. I swallowed nervously.

"Roslyn!"

"I'm scared!"

I hadn't cried in front of anyone in a long time, but here I was, sitting in my car, crying like a scared little bitch. Which I was.

"I know yer scared kid. But I ain't gonna let nobody hurt ya. Let me in, we go together."

I let out a shaky breath. Go it alone, or with Logan.

"What about what happened earlier?"

"I lost control Rose. I can't promise it won't happen again, but I wouldn't never force you."

I nodded. It wasn't great, but it was better than nothing. I leaned over and unlocked the door. Logan tossed his bag in the back, and got in.

I threw it in reverse, and sped out of the hotel. This was the second time I paid for a room and didn't get to stay in it.


	4. Chapter 4

** SWEET! I got reviews! I frickin love reviews. Pardon the rant. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and please keep them coming. Alright, now that that's done, here's the latest.**

"I'm still having trouble understanding."

Logan sighed and shook his head.

"Look, male and female ferals are drawn to each other by scents."

"I get that. I do. What I don't get is that once they mate, they have to stay together forever? How fair is that?"

"Ain't got nothing to do with fair. It's biological."

"What if I don't want to spend the rest of my life with the same man? What if I want to go sew my wild oats?"

Logan looked at me and then quickly looked away.

"You won't want to darlin'. That's what I been trying to tell ya. Once you find them, your mate, you won't never want anyone else."

I growled out my frustration.

"What?"

"Seriously? You don't think that's bullshit?"

Logan shook his head and quietly said no.

I sighed again and decided to just let well enough alone. I focused on the road. The sun was just breaking the horizon. I sighed again and stared at the beauty of it. I smiled. I always loved watching the sun come up.

"It'll be okay Rose."

Looking at the rising sun, knowing no matter what happened during the night, it would always come up the next morning

"I know."

I gave him a small smile. And just then I had the overwhelming urge to call my mom. I dug around in my purse until I found my phone.

I punched in her cell number. It rang three times before she picked up.

"_Thank God Rosie! I've been calling your phone all night!"_

_ "I know, I'm sorry mom. It got a little crazy last night."_

_ "For you and me both baby."_

Fear flooded me.

_"What happened? Are you alright?" _

_ "I'm fine baby. I'll tell you about it when you get here."_

_ "Get here? Where are you?"_

_ "At Xavier's."_

I was stunned for a second, and then relief flooded me. She was safe.

_"Good."_

_ "When will you be here baby?"_

_ "Soon. I'm driving."_

_ "Oh, Rosie! Professor Xavier said you have some men after you. Why don't you get on the jet?"_

I smiled.

_"I don't want to leave my car."_

_ "Baby it's just a car. It's not worth your safety."_

_ "I'm perfectly safe mom."_

_ "Traveling alone?"_

_ "I'm not alone mom. I've got a teacher from the school with me. He can keep me safe."_

I heard her sigh out her relief.

_"I want to talk to him."_

_ "What?"_

_ "I want to talk to the man who's supposed to keep you safe. Put him on."_

I frowned and look over to Logan.

"She wants to talk to you."

Logan blanched, and then took the phone from my outreached hand.

"Hello?"

I couldn't really hear what my mom was saying. Logan kept his answers simple with yes's and no's. Soon he handed the phone back.

_"Satisfied?"_

_ "Hardly. The man barely speaks."_

_ "Welcome to my life."_

My mom laughed.

_"Sorry baby."_

_ "It's okay. Makes for a peaceful drive."_

_ "I bet. Alright baby, drive safe, but get here fast. We miss you."_

_ "Is Ethan there?"_

Ethan was my three year old half brother. And my world. I loved that kid. I would die for him. When I left home, it was him that I would miss most.

_"Sure he is baby. Think I would leave him with that backwards asshole?" _

I laughed.

_"Can I talk to him?"_

_ "Sure." _

I could hear my mom calling out to Ethan. And then when she told him it was me on the, I could hear his squeal of excitement. There was some fumbling, but then he was on the phone.

_"ROSIE!"  
><em>I had to pull the phone away from my ear. Even Logan flinched. I smiled at him sheepishly and then put the phone back to my ear.

_"Hi Etho."_

_ "Where are you Rosie?"_

_ "I'm driving my car. I'm on my way to see you."_

Ethan made car noises and then started crying.

_"I miss you."_

_ "I miss you too buddy. I'm gonna be there soon okay? Then we can play."_

He stopped crying when he heard that. He was sniffling, but not crying.

_"Play hide-n-seek?"_

_ "Yup."_

_ "Color?"_

_ "You bet."_

He began giggling, and then laughing. His high pitched, adorable laugh that melted my heart, and made me put my foot down a little harder on the accelerator.

_"I love you Rosie."_

_ "I love you too."_

_ "NOOOOO. Say Etho! I'm Etho, and your Rosie!"_

I laughed, but then said it.

_"I love you too, Etho."_

_ "K! Bye!"_

The phone went dead. The little turd hung up on me. I was still grinning as I set my phone into my purse.

"Was that your brother?"

"Yeah. That was Ethan."

Logan was quiet for some time, before speaking.

"You want kids?"

"That's a pretty personal question for two people who just met each other."

Logan didn't say anything. I sighed and then said,

"I'm not sure."

He nodded.

"Do you have any children?"

"Maybe."

I pursed my lips.

"Really?"

"What?"

He turned to look at me.

"You just gave me the "save yourself for your mate" speech. And your not sure if you have any kids running around. It seems a little hypocritical."

"I'm a lot older than you."

"Your using the age excuse? Really? I'm 18. Do you have any idea what the average age is for girls losing their virginity these days? 17. Do you know the average number of partners a girl has before the age of 25? Anywhere from 5 to 10. So cut the sexist crap."

Logan was silent. I smiled. And then I realized how strange this whole conversation was. So strange in fact, that I busted out laughing.

Logan looked at me, and shook his head. He grinned at least.

"This is the weirdest conversation I have ever had!"

I was still laughing when someone cut us off, narrowly avoiding a collision with me. My laughter turned to instant road rage.

"ASSHOLE!"

I slammed my hand on the horn. He almost jacked my car up. I put my foot down on the accelerator.

"What are you doing?"

"That dick in the glass box up there damn near clipped my front end. I'm gonna show him what American muscle can do."

I floored it, the engine roared it's agreement as we sped up behind the imported toy car the punk was driving.

"Rose..."

"Don't wet yourself Logan. I'm pretty good at this."

I sped up until we were along side of him. It was just some kid, a white boy wanna be gangster. He had rap cranked up and his bass was bumping. I swerved toward him, to get his attention. It did. The kid damn near lost control of his toy. His window and music rolled down at the same time.

"What the fuck you think your doing?"

In response I pulled forward and cut them off. Then I tapped my brakes. The kid behind me had no idea how to drive. He locked his brakes up. I roared with laughter as I saw him skidding to a stop in the rear view mirror.

Logan gave me a dark look.

"What? Nobody got hurt, and I taught that punk a lesson."

"That wasn't nice."

"Neither was cutting me off."

I checked my rear view again, just to make sure. That's when I saw the black mustang. My brows came together. I saw that mustang when I pulled out of the gas station yesterday. And again when Logan and I left the motel.

"Crap."

"What?"

"I saw that mustang yesterday at the gas station, and at the motel."

Logan turned around and cursed.

"What? Who is it?"

"Who do ya think kid? It's Creed."

My eyes got wide.

"How do you know?"

Logan gave me a look. I felt nervous butterflies bubble up in my stomach.

"Alright, what do I do."

"Drive kid. Drive fast."


	5. Chapter 5

** I cannot believe how fast this is coming. I swear I take five steps away from my laptop, and ideas start pouring into my brain. It's like brain diarrhea. Reviewers! I love you all!**

My grip on the steering wheel was getting sweaty and I had a permanent case of the butterflies.

"We can't drive forever."

"Son of a bitch. He's coming up faster."

I looked in my side mirror and saw they were, in fact, gaining. I put my foot down, pushing my black stallion into the triple digits.

She was a good car, solidly built. But without a proper tune-up, which she hadn't had in awhile, I couldn't keep her in the triple digits for long without risking a break down.

"I can't keep pushing her like this. I'm gonna blow a seal or worse."

Logan was swearing under his breath as he watched the new mustang tear up behind us. I sighed. I had an idea, granted it wasn't a good one, but I didn't hear Logan coming up with anything. I slowly let my foot off the accelerator.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna slow down until he comes abreast with us, and then I'm gonna floor it. He's gonna put his foot down to catch up, and that's when I'm gonna brake and take the nearest exit."

Logan was nodding. When you have no other option, a crazy one is better than nothing.

"Which side is he coming up on?"

"Neither, he's right behind us."

"Shit!"

"There's two of them in the car."

"Two? Who's the other one?"

"Looks like your friend Shift."

"Shift...MOTHER FUCKER!"

Logan spun around fast to look at me. I was about to speak when my phone rang. I didn't recognize the number.

_"Hello?"_

_"Hi there Roslyn. Miss me?"_

_"Shift, you piece of shit. Give me one reason why I shouldn't pull over and tear you a new one?"_

_"Hey, I'd love it if you would pull over. Make it a little easier on your self."_

I tucked the phone into my chest, so I could talk to Logan.

"Your were right, it's Shift."

"Gimme the phone."

I handed it over.

_"Let me talk to Creed ya little piece of shit."_

I snorted a laugh. I listened intently to the half of the conversation I was privy to.

_"It ain't gonna happen Creed."_

I wanted to ask what, but I decided to wait.

_"What makes you think she wants to talk yer ugly mug?"_

I made a gimme motion with my hands at Logan. He ignored it.

"Hey gimme the phone!"

He gently slapped my hand away and pointed his free finger at me. I let out a low growl at him.

"Point that thing at me again and I'm gonna bite it off."

Logan shot me a rare grin. As suddenly as it came it was gone, replaced by a look of worry. He leaned over so his lips were practically on my ear.

"Creed planted a bug somewhere in here. He can hear everything we're saying."

I nodded. Before Logan could pull away, the mustang slammed into the back end of my car. I let out a girly scream of surprise while Logan and I both lurched forward.

"You okay?"

"NO! He just hit my car. I'm gonna plant my foot so far up their collective rectums that they'll be choking on my fucking shoelaces."

Logan did the smart thing and just nodded.

"Give me that phone. Now."

Logan handed it over.

_"Listen here, you limp dick piece of shit."_

_ "Ooo. Somebodies angry."_

I didn't recognize the voice. It was smooth, deep and resonating. It sent chills down my spine. Logan noticed, and growled.

_"Angry? You hit my car! This is a 1977 Chevelle SS. Do you have any idea how long it's going to take me to fix it?"_

_ "From back here, it looks like a long time."_

_ "Your an asshole. Put Shift back on."_

_ "No."_

_ "Then fuck off."_

I hung up.

"What did he say?"

"Not much. Told me that the rear end of my car was going to take me along time to fix."

Logan held a finger up to his lips. I forgot about the bug. But then I got an idea. A very wicked idea. I used my finger and motioned for Logan to come closer. He did, and I whispered in his ear.

"Last time we got close, he rammed the back of my car. We need to anticipate his moves if we are ever gonna come out on top of this thing."

"Alright kid, what do you have in mind."

I grinned at him, he returned it. Logan kissed my shoulder before moving away.

"It's gonna be okay baby."

At first I was confused. Why was he acting like...and then Logan gave me a quick wink. Ah, playing the role. I heard the mustang rev behind us. I had a few seconds to react. At the last possible second, I switched lanes, braked and dropped back behind them. Reaching into my purse, I grabbed the Eagle. I didn't think I had much time. Rolling the window down, I aimed for the back tires. I kept firing until I hit one. At the speed they were going, it was a miracle they didn't crash. I slammed on the brakes.

"What are ya doing?"

"I don't want to keep looking over my shoulder for this asshole!"

"Don't worry sweetheart, you won't have too. I'm right here."

My blood ran cold with ice. Quick as lightning, a pair of hands reached in my window and pulled me out. I kicked and screamed for Logan.

"Let her go Creed."

Once I was cleared from the car, he kept me pinned against him with his massive arms. I kept struggling, fear coursing through me. I could feel his body, hard as steel under my soft one. It made me panic more. I clawed at his forearms, tearing the flesh to ribbons as I tried to free myself. He let out a terrifying snarl, and nipped at my exposed neck.

"Manners sweetheart."

His voice was smooth, and seemed like velvet to my skin. It made me shiver. I could feel his chest rumble as a deep, sultry laugh left his lips.

"I ain't gonna ask ya again. Let her go."

"I don't think she wants me to."

I began to struggle again. Creed's arm tightened and I felt like my eyes were going to pop out. I started having trouble breathing. I forgot fighting and just tried to breathe.

"Please..."

It came out in barley a whisper.

"Please...I can't breathe!"

The steel arms holding me loosened up a bit, and I breathed in greedily. The head rush made my legs buckle underneath me.

"Roslyn!"

Logan sounded worried. I gave him a half hearted smile.

"I'm okay..."

Creed snarled at Logan, and Logan growled back.

"She's mine runt, and you know it."

"She ain't property Creed."

"She's MINE!"

With that Creed unceremoniously let me drop to the ground and launched at Logan. I watched in horror as they clawed and stabbed at each other.

"Told they would fight over you."

I did my own snarling as Shift walked over to me. He offered me his hand, but I only swatted it away.

"You! You...little cockroach. You told him where I was."

Shift just shrugged his shoulders. I got up and stared him down.

"He's going to hurt me, why would you do that? What did I do to you?"

Shift looked away from me.

"I thought we were friends."

Now Shift had the decency to look ashamed. I took the opportunity and ran back over to the car. I opened the door and grabbed the gun. I fumbled with the clip, but managed to get it out. I had just grabbed the bullets from under the seat when I felt a hand grab my shoulder. I whipped around and launched my fist into Shifts face. He let out a scream worthy of most females, and fell back on his ass. I ignored him, and continued to load the gun. My hands were shaking but I managed to get the clip loaded and back into the gun.

I stood up and headed over to the fight. It looked like Logan was loosing. His shirt was gone, his chest a bloody display of gashes and claw marks. Creed didn't look like he had taken much damage, if any at all. Logan saw me approaching, and shook his head.

"Stay back Roslyn!"  
>I shook my head. Creed turned at Logan's shout.<p>

"I'll be with ya in a minute honey."

He had a smirk on his face that was both handsome and frighteningly fierce. I raised my gun and pointed it at him.

"Enough. Stop it."

Creed turned to face me fully.

"You going to shoot me sweetheart?"

"Only if I have to."

Creed's gray eyes pierced mine. His smirk never faltered.

"Ya got balls sweetheart, I'll give ya that. But you know that shooting me won't stop me, it'll just piss me off."

I nodded, agreeing with him.

"And slow you down. I just need a few minutes head start, and emptying this clip into your head will give me that."

Creed grinned.

"Sexy and smart. How did I get so lucky?"

"You didn't."

His grin fell off his face, replaced by something less human.

"You can run Roslyn. But you can't hide. No matter where you go, I will find you. And I promise I won't be as nice if I have to hunt you down."

My mouth was suddenly dry. I was trying to work it out. So if I gave in now, he would be gentle with me? I doubted it. But if I ran, he would be purposefully rough.

"Can't you just leave me alone?"

Creed shook his head. He ran his tongue slowly over his lips.

"Sorry sweetheart, ain't gonna happen. Your my mate. I know it, the runt knows it, even the cripple in the wheelchair knows it."

Cripple in the wheelchair? Who on earth was he talking about? I quickly snapped out of my inter monolog when I saw Creed shift feet. I knew he was getting ready to spring.

"Stop. Don't move."

My arm holding the gun up was getting sore. And Creed knew it.

"Well come on honey, shoot or put it down."

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

Creed barked out a laugh and that's when Logan attacked. He slammed his metal claws through Creed's chest. I didn't even realize I was screaming until Logan ran over and told me to hush. Then he grabbed the gun the out of my hand and pointed it at Creed. He was just getting up from the ground.

"Logan, what are you..."

I didn't get to finish that sentence. Creed snarled at Logan, and Logan pulled the trigger. I watched as a bullet entered Creed's head, and exited out the back with a splash. I felt what little I had in my stomach traveling up. Logan pulled the trigger a few more times while I bent over to vomit. I staggered over to my car and climbed in the back. My world was spinning. I kept seeing Creed's eyes, watching as they fluttered over to me before Logan put a bullet between them.

"You okay kid?"

Logan was in the driver's seat, and tearing off down the road before I could mumble out a weak response.

"No."

I was falling asleep, or passing out. I couldn't stop seeing his eyes, those gray eyes were haunting me.

I could hear Logan talking, but the world around me was fading into blackness. Peaceful blackness, no Logan, no Creed. No anything.


	6. Chapter 6

** I want to take a moment and thank everyone who reviewed! You are all awesome. The very best readers. And so I will strive to hold myself up to your praise and be worthy of you. R.R.E. (Read. Review. Enjoy.)**

I could hear his voice, making my knees weak, my pulse race. His eyes; deep, mysterious and full of dark promises. His body was hard muscle, built for violence. And still I was drawn to him, like a moth to the flame. It was instinctual, primal. I wanted him.

I bolted awake, slamming my head into the roof of my car.

"Whoa, kid."

I groaned and lied back, as the pain faded away. Logan was looking in from the driver's side window.

"Why are you outside?"

Logan looked away and coughed, clearly uncomfortable with something.

"You ah, were dreaming."

I was confused for a moment, and then it hit me. I could smell my arousal thick inside the car. I thought back to what I was dreaming about. It was like trying to grab the wind.

"Shit Logan. I'm sorry."

"As long as you tell me you were dreaming about me, I'm fine with it."

I laughed and pushed the seat forward.

"You? Nah, I was dreaming about a big piece of cheesecake."

Logan put a hand down to help me out.

"You get that excited about cheesecake and I'm gonna start carrying some with me."

We both laughed. It eased the awkward tension. After a few moments, I turned to look at Logan. He had a short, stump of a cigar hanging out of his mouth, as he stared off into the distance. He really was good looking. Beautiful eyes, nice lips. Devilishly handsome.

"I don't know who I was dreaming about, or what. I can't remember."

Logan turned to look at me, and I was struck again at how eye pleasing he really was.

"It's alright Rose. Yer young, bodies going through changes, hormones and all. Chuck said you would probably have an influx of arousal."

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Wow, that was, awkward, and educational. Are you the Sex-Ed teacher at the school?"

Logan choked on the smoke from his cigar.

"Me? No way in hell. I teach shop, sometimes do sessions in the danger room."

I was still chuckling when Logan began to speak again.

"I damn near drove off the road when yer scent hit me."

"Sorry."

"Ain't yer fault Roslyn."

We were left in another uncomfortable silence. It was like he had things to say, but either couldn't, or wouldn't. I wasn't able to stand it anymore, so I busted out with,

"So where are we?"

"Pennsylvania."

I gaped like a fish. I was out that long?

"Holy shit."

Logan nodded his agreement.

"Longest 18 hours of my life."

"Okay, well at least we are almost there. What is it, like a six hour drive or so?"

"Something like that."

"Well, I'll drive, you sleep."

He agreed with a sharp nod. I got into the drivers seat and Logan finished off his cigar, before getting into the passenger side. He tipped the seat back all the way and closed his eyes.

"Take me home Rose."

I smiled and turned the key over, listening to her come to life. I slowly crawled the car out of the rest spot Logan had pulled us into. I couldn't help but be enamored with the beauty that was Pennsylvania. Everything was lush, green, and blooming.

_ Three hours later_

Logan's soft snores had become my constant companion. He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit hit the back of the seat. I couldn't help but smile. I liked Logan. He was intimidating, and more often than not he scared the shit of of me, but he was a good man at heart. I could feel that much.

My phone rang, scaring the wits out of me. Another unfamiliar number.

"_Hello?"_

_ "Hello Roslyn."_

I swallowed nervously. It was him. I would recognize that voice anywhere.

_"Leave me alone."_

_ "Now why would I want to do that?"_

_ "Please! I'm a nobody! I'm not even that good looking! Find someone else."_

I heard him let out a breath, it was kind of like a sigh, only different.

_"If I wanted someone else, I'd have them. I want you. Your my mate."_

_ "I refuse to believe that."_

_ "I don't really care what you believe Roslyn."_

Wow. This guy made regular assholes look like saints. I snarled softly, remembering Logan's slumbering form.

_"Same goes for you dildo. I don't care how much you want me, or how often you call me, stalk me, write me letters. I am never going to be your mate. EVER."_

I hung the phone up.

"Ya handled that pretty well."

Logan's voice made me jump. I looked over at him. He was still laying back, eyes closed. But he had a small grin gracing his lips.

"I was getting close to pissing myself."

Logan nodded.

"Creed's a scary bastard. You did good."

"He's not gonna stop is he?"

"Nope."

"What if I mate with someone else?"

Now Logan opened his eyes. He was looking at me very intently.

"True mates mark each other. And that mark carries the scent of the other. Creed won't be able to do nothing about the mark, but he can still torture ya, rape ya."

"Why the fuck does he care then? If he's such a woman hating bastard, why does he even want a mate?"

Logan remained silent, but I continued my rant.

"Mate's are supposed to be partners. Equals. What part of what he wants to do to me is fair? The males are supposed to protect the females, not hurt them. Not rape them."

My phone rang again. I picked it up angrily.

_"What?"_

It was more of a snarl than anything else.

_"Who said anything about rape?"_

My brain reeled for a few seconds before it caught on. It was Creed. Again. And he knew what we were talking about, because of the bug.

_"You all but promised it to me back on the highway."_

_ "I said you wouldn't like me if I had to hunt you down."_

_ "Some pretty fine hairs your splitting Mr. Creed."_

He chuckled, and once again I found myself shivering. Logan ripped the phone out of my hands and threw it out the window. I was stuck making an "O" face for a few seconds.

"Hey!"

It was all I could come out with. Logan just looked at me.

"Why'd you throw my phone out the window?"

I was trying to be calm.

"He's trying to ruffle ya kid."

"They have this thing, called ignore. It comes on most phones now days. You didn't have to wing it out the window."

Logan shrugged. I growled.

"Your lucky I have insurance on that, or I would be very, very pissed off."

Logan shrugged and was looking in the rear mirror.

"There's no way he caught up to us."

"You don't know Creed."

I shrugged.

"I can't wait to get to Professor Xavier's."

I was practically oozing excitement. And not even the thundercloud known as Creed could put a damper on it. I was going to see my mom and my brother. Not to mention I get to talk with the Professor. I think I was most excited about that. As if he heard me thinking about him, I heard his voice in my head.

_"Excuse my intrusion Roslyn, but since you seem to have misplaced your phone, I was left without any other options."_

_ "Misplaced? No. Logan winged it out the window."_

_ "How very immature of him. But to the matter at hand, you are about two hours outside of Westchester, are you not?"_

_ "I believe so."_

_ "I am afraid something has come up, and I need Logan to join my team on a mission."_

_ "Alright."_

_ "There is a rest stop coming up. My team is waiting there with the jet. Please accept my sincerest apologies for delaying you once again."_

_ "No sweat."_

_ "Thank you Roslyn. I look forward to meeting you in person."_

_ "Same here."_

_ "Goodbye."_

I looked over to Logan.

"Professor says he needs you on a mission. A team is waiting for you at the next rest stop with the jet."

I was slightly confused at all of this, but didn't voice it. I figured the Professor would explain if he felt I needed to know.

"Yeah, he told me kid."

"Oh. Sorry about the echo then."

Logan smiled. I pulled off into the rest area. I was assaulted by the sight of the jet again. But this time it was on the ground, and people were rooting around outside. The red haired woman was there, and so was the white haired.

I pulled the car to the side and cut the engine.

"Be careful."

Logan had opened the door, but didn't get out.

"Come on kid, I'll introduce ya to the gang."

I nodded and got out. He seemed to either ignore my earlier comment or decided it didn't require an answer.

I sighed, as Logan came over and stood next to me.

"They don't bite Rose."

"But I do."


	7. Chapter 7

** Sorry about the last chapter, it was mainly filling. Or fluff. Or whatever. I'm blaming the atrocious heat wave. Right now, with the humidity, it's 120 degrees. I am practically a puddle of nothing. Here's the next chapter. R.R.E.**

"This is Ororo Munroe, or Storm. The red head is Jean Grey, boy scout over here is Scott Summers, Cyclops. The young ones over by the picnic table are Bobby, Kitty and Rogue."

I nodded my head, trying to let it all sink in. Logan left me with the leather clad gang.

"Your a female feral. How interesting."

"Sure."

I didn't know what to say to Jean. Hell, it wasn't really a question. More of a statement than anything.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud."

She looked slightly embarrassed. And that's when I decided I liked her.

"Am I allowed to ask what your powers are? Or is that stepping over some mutant line of etiquette?"

Jean and Ororo smiled at me, and Scott let out a laugh.

"I'm a telepath."

"Like the Professor?"

"No where near as controlled or as powerful. But I'm getting there."

It was my turn to smile at her. I looked expectantly at Ororo.

"I can control the weather."

"Really?"

Her eyes clouded into a milky white as I felt the wind pick up. As suddenly as it started, it was over.

"That's incredible!"

These people were so gifted! All I could do was heal and snarl. Scott pulled me out of my brain by saying,

"Laser eyes."

"For real?"

It was all I could manage. The idea of lasers coming out of someone's eyeballs was terrifying, ludicrous, and fascinating.

He let out a slight burst of bright red light. And the garbage can he hit exploded.

"Awesome."

All three adults were now grinning at me.

"Are you all teachers at the school?"

They all began talking at once. Ororo taught many subjects, including, but not limited too, biology, environmental science, chemistry, and organic chemistry. Jean taught math, ranging from algebra to advanced calculus. Scott was in charge of shop, automotive, and physics.

"The professor said you would be finishing up your high school year with us. How far were you into the year."

Jean seemed to take a keen interest into me, while the others wandered off to do various things. Which was fine with me. Crowds made me nervous. Too many smells, noises.

"I was half way through when my principal expelled me."

"What ever for?"

"Being a monster."

Jean's face crumbled, and she looked like she might cry.

"It's okay. If I was never expelled, then I would have never left home. And if I never left, I wouldn't have wound up on this path that led me to the Professor."

Jean nodded her pretty head and smiled at me again.

"That's a good way to think of things."

"I try to stay positive."

"Your very mature for your age."

"Single parent environment. My mother raised me to be independent."

"She did a good job."

I was smiling so much my cheeks hurt. Logan came walking back out of the plane wearing one of the tight leather uniforms. I couldn't help but admire how it hugged his muscular frame.

"How you doin' Rose?"

"Good. Nice outfit."

I swear Logan almost blushed. He gave me a sheepish smile and walked off to talk with the "young ones" as he put it.

"I've never seen Logan blush before."

Ororo was standing a few feet from me, looking at the retreating form of Logan. She was a beautiful woman. I felt like a leper standing next to her. I shrugged. Scott came jogging up to where we were standing.

"What did you say to get him?"

"Not much. Just made fun of his outfit."

"He's down there blushing like a teenager."

I burst out laughing. I was trying to picture a teenage Logan. I think Jean read my mind because she started cracking up. Soon we were all laughing at Logan's expense.

Scott threw a friendly arm over my shoulders and walked me toward the group of younger kids.

"I think me and you are gonna get along just fine."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good. I could use some friends."

"Anyone who can make Logan blush and beat him at his own game is a friend of mine."

Scott and I laughed all the way over to the picnic tables. Logan was glaring daggers at Scott, but he just ignored him. I liked Scott. He was genuine, boyishly handsome, and good natured.

"Roslyn, this is Kitty, Bobby, and Rogue."

I nodded at each of them as they were introduced. Kitty wore very revealing clothes and a lot of makeup. She was naturally pretty, but was trying way to hard. The other girl, Rogue they called her, wore very little makeup, and was very very pretty. Even with the strange white streaks decorating the front of her hair. The boy Bobby was nothing special. He was cute, with his sandy blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Roslyn, Rogue is going to be riding with you to the mansion."

I looked over at Rogue to see she was grinning at me. It seemed genuine, but I was still leery. I had friends my whole life until I started to to show signs of being a mutant. And then nobody wanted anything to do with me. I was fine with the solidarity. I really was. But now I was out of practice. I had no idea what to say to her, or how to act.

"Let's get goin Rose."

Rogue had a pretty thick southern accent that reminded me of my mom. It made me smile. As she got up from her seat, I saw Bobby plant a kiss on her glove covered hands. I thought it odd, so I filed it away until the proper time. Time and place after all.

"Is that car yours?"

"Yup, that's my black stallion."

"She's a beaut."

"That she is."

"That's a 1976 Chevelle?"

"1977. SS."

"Thank GOD."

I looked at her as we walked. I was puzzled by her outburst, and amused.

"What?"

"I was the only girl in the whole school who loved cars. And now I have you."

"Do you take automotive classes?"

"Me and half the girls in the school."

"I thought you said you were the only one who liked cars?"

"I am. They take it so they can drool over Logan."

That made me smile.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Bunch of half wits, who wear low cut shirts and skirts to class. As if."

I opened my door and leaned over, looking at Rogue. She did the same.

"I'm not used to having friends. It may take me awhile to get back into the swing of things."

"It's an adjustment for all of us when we first come to the mansion. I already like ya, so what's to change?"

Rogue got in. I lingered for a moment, smiling. And then I joined her. Her eyes were all over the place. She touched the dash, the leather, the ceiling.

"Is she numbers matching?"

"Down to the very last bolt."

Her grin grew. The car started with a vicious roar. Show off.

"It sounds great."

"Yeah, it'll need a tune-up when we get there. If your interested."

"Hell yeah."

I reached forward and turned the music up. It was Imagine Violet Skies by In this Moment. I was surprised to hear Rogue singing along. Not that many people knew of, or liked the female rock band. I decided I liked her.

"So I heard you ran into the FOH, and Creed."

"Yeah, and truth be told, I'd run into the FOH a million times over before ever coming near Creed again."

"Yeah, he helped Magneto kidnap me once. Scared the bejesus out of me."

I lifted a brow at her. That was a story waiting to be told. Rogue saw my face and indulged me with quiet a story. Liberty Island, a machine that was supposed to turn people into mutants, but instead dissolved their DNA. Magneto, a metal wielding psychopath if Rogue was to be trusted, which I found no reason not to, using her to power the machine and turn all of the worlds most influential leaders into mutants. And the X-Men coming to save the day.

"Wow. That is one bat shit insane story."

"I know. If I hadn't lived it, I would call bullshit."

"If you would have told me that story a few days ago, I would have."

"Yeah, the Professor told us about Creed hunting ya. I'm sorry. I really am."

"Heck of a way to be introduced to the mutant world."

"Yeah, I kissed my boyfriend and put him into a coma. Then I ran away. How about you?"

"I, uh, got expelled from school, because I scared the principal. And then I told my mom about my mutation. She was surprisingly mellow about it all. She even told me about my father, who is like me. That's when I decided I needed to leave, both for me, and for her. I was on my way to finding him when everything went crazy."

Rogue nodded, understanding the crazy aspect.

"Yeah, it goes from down right boring to insane in seconds."

"I get that."

"So, you and Logan are kinda close."

I looked over and saw the smile she was giving me. It was rather saucy.

"It's not like that. He has some trouble with control around me, but that's mostly my fault."

"Yer fault? How is it yer fault?"

"I'm not really in control of my emotions right now. And that translates into scents. So if I see something nice and attractive..."

"You smell like you want some."

"Pretty much."

"Yikes. Ya know we have some other ferals at the school."

"Great."

"I got your back."

"Thanks."

"So...Can I ask what exactly your power is?"

"Sure. I borrow abilities. And I kinda drain life force."

"So...If you touched me, with your bare hands, you would have my abilities?"

"For a little bit."

"But you can't control it?"

"No. If I held on to long, I could kill ya."

"That's terrible."

I looked around as I switched lanes. I couldn't believe how far we had gone already. With Logan it seemed to take forever to get anywhere. But that was probably due to the ever present tension between us.

"What's the school like?"

"It's beautiful. It was one of Professor Xavier's summer homes as a child."

"I take it he came from money."

"I'd assume so, but he never talks about it."

"Well, we're all entitled to our secrets."

"I suppose. Anyway, it's all on a big, private estate. Has it's own lake and everything. The mansion is decorated like a castle, with old paintings and busts."

"Sounds beautiful."

"It is."

"How many kids are their?"

"Around 60 I think."

"What about rooms. How does that work?"

"Well it depends. Some girls, like Kitty, share their rooms with a few other girls. I'm more private, so I don't have a roommate."

"The Professor gives you an option?"

"He tries really hard to accommodate everybody."

I nodded. The more I heard about the Professor, the more I admired the man.

"What do you know about feral mutants?"

I figured Rogue was my new Shift. I felt a pang as I thought about him. I hoped he was okay. Even after everything he had done, I still considered him a friend. I didn't believe he helped Creed willingly.

"Well, I know y'all got heightened senses. Smell, hearing, that kind of thing. But I also know your the only group of mutants who seemed to both evolve and devolve at the same time."

"Devolve?"

"Yeah. Y'all got strength and healing and enhanced senses, but y'all are slaves to your baser instincts. One step forward and two steps back as they say."

I thought it over. It made sense. We were slaves to our instincts.

"So our bodies evolved, but our brains seem to have devolved back to the stone age."

"Seems that way. Although, you don't seem to bad. Maybe females are more in control."

"Maybe."

I sighed. I didn't want to end up as some mindless animal. Rogue seemed to know what I was thinking.

"Don't worry. The Professor will be able to help ya. He's the smartest man I ever met. And if he can't, he can find somebody who can."

I smiled. I didn't think I really needed help, I seemed to be handling the changes within me alright. I mean, I could smell Rogue. Really smell her. She wore a rose scented perfume, dabbed it on her neck, wrists and on her upper thighs. She wasn't afraid or even nervous about being near me. Her smell said content. So did her regular heart beat.

"I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about Creed."

"What's his deal? Did you piss in his Wheaties?"

"He says I'm his mate."

Rogue gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Ya didn't let him mark ya did ya?"

"What? No. The one time he got close enough I was tearing his forearms into ribbons."

"Good. That bastard marks ya, ain't no man in this world that would dare touch ya."

"My goal is to not LET him touch me. Ever."

"Good plan."

"But..."

She sighed. I could practically hear her thoughts in her scent. She was doubtful.

"But Creed always gets what he's after."

"Well there's a first for everything."

Rogue nodded her head, but it was halfhearted.

"I'm not going dwell on what might be. I'm going to live in the moment, and enjoy what I can. If Creed does come for me, I will deal with it then."

"Sounds like a decent plan."

"It's the only one I've got, so I'm putting a lot into it."

Rogue laughed, and I joined her. The rest of the ride was spent discussing boys, music, mutants and life. As we were pulling up the private drive, I felt a sense of security envelope me. That was, until I saw my own personal nightmare standing on the steps to my new home. He looked positively mountainous next to the bald man in the wheelchair.

"What the fuck?"

Rogue looked at me, fear evident in her brown eyes.

"Miss me Roslyn?"


	8. Chapter 8

** I'm glad everyone likes the story so far, and I'm ridiculously pumped at all the reviews. I literally read them, get excited, and start a new chapter. Here you go. R.R.E.**

I heard him speak, over the engine, and through the closed windows. My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter.

"What the hell is going on?"

Rogue looked to me, and then back outside. Her scent told me she was just as confused as I was.

_"Please Roslyn. Come out of the car."_

_ "What! No fucking way."_

_ "Victor will not harm you. I will not allow it."_

_ "How are you going to stop him?"_

_ "I am very good at what I do Roslyn. Victor is aware of the rules. If he harms you in anyway, I will burrow into his mind and when I am finished he will believe he is celibate Priest."_

I weighed the pros and cons. There being more cons than pros. But I trusted the Professor, for unknown reasons. I sighed and put my car in park and turned the engine off.

"What are ya doin?"

"The Professor says Creed won't hurt me."

Rogue looked skeptical for a few moments and then sighed.

"Well, if that's what the Professor said..."

"Maybe you should go right inside, just in case."

"I ain't leavin you out here."

I smiled at Rogue's concern for me.

"Alright."

I opened my door and Rogue followed suit. My nervous butterflies turned into nervous rhino's that slammed around my stomach walls. My knees felt like they were made of jello, and therefore very hard to move.

The Professor was smiling warmly at me, and that's who I concentrated on. He had a shaved head, proud, aristocratic features and the warmest brown eyes I had ever seen. I couldn't help but smile when I saw him.

"Hello Roslyn. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person."

"You too."

I felt Rogue come up behind me and stand on my right. She was so close I could feel her arm touching the back of mine. It was comforting. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Creed take a step towards me. I spun on my heel so I was facing him directly, and blocking Rogue completely. I let out a warning snarl.

He just smiled at me, and I felt one of Rogue's hands entwine with mine. She was frightened, I could smell it, feel it, hell I could practically taste it. I gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"What do you want Mr. Creed?"

He looked down to Rogue's hand in mine, and then back to my face.

"You."

I pursed my lips. I thought we had covered this already. I didn't want ANY mate, and I especially didn't want him as my mate.

"I am sorry to disappoint you. But I am not in the market for a mate at the moment."

The Professor stifled a laugh, but Creed barked his out.

"So you've said. But I'm willing to bet that's going to change, and soon."

I narrowed my eyes at him, not liking the slight foreshadowing in his comment. I looked from the Professor, and then back to Creed several times.

"What's really going on here?"

"Mr. Creed will be staying with us for an extended period of time."

"Why?"

I eyed him again with unmasked suspicion. It made him grin.

"You are just barley breaking the surface on your powers Roslyn. I believe it's going to be a very bumpy road, and I wanted to have other ferals around, to help ease the transition."

It sounded like a load of BS, and I told him so.

"Sounds like a cleverly disguised lie. If you don't want to tell me why your really letting him stay here that's fine. But I won't risk it. Not with my family here. We're leaving."

The Professor looked shocked, and Creed let out a small snarl.

"Oh Roslyn, don't go!"

I looked back to Rogue. She looked worried, and sad. She didn't want me to leave, but with Creed stalking around, I would almost always be in a permanent state of fight or flight. And with Ethan running around...

I had no sooner thought of Ethan before the doors to the school came bursting open and he came squealing down the steps. I dropped Rogue's hand and bent down to scoop him up. He wound his little hands around my neck and buried his face into my loose hair.

"ROSIE!"

I my cheeks hurt from smiling so wide.

"Hi baby."

I was cooing softly into his ear as he giggled and whispered to me.

"Where were you Rosie?"

"On an adventure!"

He screamed and smiled at me.

"Did you fight bad guys."

"Yup.  
>"Save a princess?"<p>

"Yup, she's right there."

I pointed to Rogue, who smiled warmly at Ethan. His eyes got really big, and he looked like a dear in the headlights.

"That's Princess Rogue."

His cheeks turned pink and he ducked his head back into my shoulder. I laughed and so did Rogue.

"Hey cub, your sister wants you to leave this castle."

Ethan looked at Creed and then back at me.

"I don't wanna weave here!"

I glared daggers at Creed, and he grinned back at me.

"I don't think it's very safe here. I think we should..."

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Ethan's voice damn near broke the sound barrier. I looked at him wide eyed.

"I wanna stay in the castle. I like the kids here."

I just nodded, in fear of him screaming like that again. Ethan wiggled until I set him back on the ground. He ran over to Professor Xavier and climbed into his lap.

"Come along Ethan, I think the daycare is missing you by now. Rogue, follow me please."

Rogue looked shocked, and nervous, but did what he said. A few seconds later, we were alone.

"Finally alone."

I looked at him, but didn't say anything. Instead I studied him. He had dark hair like Logan, and mutton chops. But Creed's were thinner, better groomed. He had deep, gray eyes that seemed mock anyone they pierced. He was tall, only a few inches taller than me really. And I was 5'10. So that put him around 6'3 or 6'4. He was thick, solidly built. On his hands were claws like mine. That surprised me.

He saw me looking at them and raised his hand up so I could see. His were a yellowish color. Before I realized what I was doing, I had reached out and grabbed his hand. I didn't pull back right away, instead I took time to study it. His hand was large, much larger than mine, and rough from years of work. His skin was also much darker than mine. He was deeply tanned, and I was practically albino.

"Your like me."

He slid his claws out so I could see them fully extended. I made a small "o" with my mouth. Did my claws get that long? I released his hand and looked down at my own. They had no color, just regular nails. I concentrated on making them longer. Half an inch later, and that was all.

"Mine aren't very long."

Creed's hand came out and grasped my own. He was looking at my claws, inspecting them. He turned my hand over, and then back again.

"They're sharp enough."

I nodded. Creed wasn't acting like everyone told me he would. He wasn't raping me for one, and he wasn't trying to scare me either.

"I think I may owe you an apology."

He didn't say anything, just cocked an eyebrow at me.

"I kept hearing stories about you, from all these outside sources, and I took them as truths. I based my opinion of you solely on what others told me. And that wasn't fair."

"I'm not used to fair, sweetheart."

Creed grabbed me and pulled me so I was flush up against him. My heart kicked into overdrive. And the Rhino's in my stomach were back.

"Mr. Creed..."

"Call me Victor."

I nodded dumbly. His whiskered cheek brushed mine as he whispered in my ear.

"All those stories you heard about me? They're true."

I was stunned into a sort of paralysis. Victor switched sides, so he was by the opposite ear. He once again rubbed his cheek against mine. He laughed softly, and my knees almost buckled.

"Don't worry Schatzi, I won't hurt you. Not unless you want me too."

I could feel him smile against the side of my face. I was trying to figure out what Schatzi meant. I knew it was German, but beyond that, I was clueless.

He moved his face back in front of mine, he was so close our noses were touching. He leaned the smallest fraction forward, and his lips just barely touched mine. I closed my eyes, but by then, he was gone.

I was left with a burning desire like I had never felt before. My heart was thundering in my chest, almost like it was demanding he come back.

Rogue came running down the steps and to my side.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah..."

I was still dazed.

"I saw him kiss you."

"Yeah.."

I licked my lips, tasting him.

"ROSLYN!"

I snapped out of it.

"Sorry, I'm just confused I guess."

"Come on, I'll show you to your room!"

"Okay."

"The Professor didn't think it would be a good idea to have you room with anybody just yet, so your all alone. But.."

"But?"

Rogue grinned.

"Your right across the hall from me!"

Now it was my turn to smile.

"We can have sleepovers, and talk shop."

The idea of having a slumber party where we discussed transmissions, carburetors and engines rebuilds instead of boys, celebrities and who's crushing on who seemed...perfect.

"That sounds great."

"Your bag is already in there, Jean got it off the jet and brought it up when they landed yesterday."

"There are common shower rooms on each rooming floor."

We were just walking up our second flight of stairs when Rogue flattened herself against the wall. I didn't move.

"Move bitch."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. Standing in front of me was a short, pretty Asian girl. She was wearing an extremely short shirt, a tiny tank top, spike heels and way to much makeup. She also had about a thousand pieces of jewelry on her. Not to mention clip in hair hair extensions, hot pink in color, glitter. This girl scared me.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"Yeah, I am."

Her tiny face warped into something fierce. I saw what looked like fireworks explode from her hands. They hit me square in the chest, and sent me toppling down the stairs. I felt a few things snap, and gasped from the pain. I landed at the bottom in a heap. With my eyes closed I waited for it to start. When I didn't feel the itch, I got worried. I opened my eyes and looked down at my chest. It was already healed. My shirt was burnt open,and my bra was scorched, but I was unharmed. I got to my feet and hauled ass up the stairs.

I let out a warning growl as I approached the little bitch. She had backed Rogue into a corner and was grilling her about me.

When she heard me, she whipped her head around. Her face fell.

"Nice trick, my turn."

I ran towards her, fully intent on mauling the bitch. I was almost there when I felt something heavy hit my back and take me to the ground. I flipped over so I was on my back, ready to rip whoever it was into shreds. I found myself staring into the eyes of Victor.

"Get out of here cunt, before I let her up."

The Asian girl took off running. Victor got off me and helped me to my feet. I was still staring down the hallway to where she had disappeared.

"Let it go."

"That bitch barbequed my chest."

I brought the point home by pointing to the large singed portion of my t-shirt. Victor's eyes looked to where I was pointing and didn't come back up. That's when I realized I was really only wearing a bra in front of him. I quickly crossed my arms over my chest. He rumbled off a laugh as he walked away.

"Are you alright?"

Rogue looked at my chest with worry.

"Yeah, I'm already healed. Who was that little bitch?"

"That's Jubilee. She used to be really cool, but then she got accepted onto the X team."

"Aren't you on the team?"

"I was."

She looked sad, so I didn't push it.

"So, wanna show me to my room, before anything else goes wrong?"

Rogue grinned.

"Did you see how afraid of you she was?"

"I don't like bullies."

"I gathered."

I sighed. My first day here, and I was already in a fight with someone.

"Did you see the way Creed was looking at you?"

I snapped out of it and looked at Rogue.

"When?"

"When! After he stopped you from ripping Jubes to shreds."

I shook my head. I noticed he was staring at my chest, but not much else. Truth be told, I was more focused on tracking down and beating the shit out of the Jubes girl.

"It was an R-rated look."

"Grand."

Rogue giggled. I liked her. She didn't mince words. Was straight forward, like me. I figured we would get along just fine.

One more hallway and one more flight of stairs.

"This is our hallway. We share it with Logan, Piotr, and Dr. McCoy."

I nodded, not knowing any of these people.

"Everybody calls this the "Danger Zone"."

"Why?"

"Well, everything up here has been re-enforced, on the account of everyone who lives up here having super strength."

"Why do you..."

"I'm here because everyone up here has a better chance of living through an encounter with me."

I nodded. Sounded plausible.

"This is you. And this is me."

Rogue took out a key card and opened my door. She handed me the key and ushered me inside. It was decent sized. It had full bed, a dresser, desk, and a walk in wardrobe.

"Not much, but it's home."

"It's great."

Rogue smiled.

"Alright, the Professor said you would probably need to get some sleep. So I'll come get you when it's time for supper."

"Sounds good."

She gave me a quick smile and then headed out, shutting my door. I heard the automatic lock click. I pulled my shirt over my head, and tossed it in the nearest garbage can. Then I unsnapped my bra. It was scorched, but hopefully salvageable.

I opened my suitcase and pulled out a black tank top. I flopped down on the bed. I didn't realize how tired I was until I felt my eyes closing. A good snooze would do me good.


	9. Chapter 9

** Yo! Thanks again for the reviews! You guys are awesome! You make me want to write, and write, and write. R.R.E.**

I was startled awake by pounding on my door. I wasn't sure how long how I actually slept, but I knew it wasn't enough.

"ROSLYN!"  
>The pounding got even louder. With a growl I rolled out of bed and jogged to the door.<p>

"What?"

I barked as I flung the door open. I was accosted with the sight of Logan, looking ragged and out of breath.

"Whoa."

He was still in his uniform, covered in sweat, and lord knows what else. I glanced behind him to see Rogue, Jean, Scott, Victor and the Professor.

"What's going on?"

"You alright?"

I looked back to Logan. He was staring at me.

"I think I should be asking you that, but yeah, I'm good."

He nodded his head. He had just leaned away from me, when he suddenly stopped. His whole body went rigid, before he snarled. It made my hair stand up.

He twirled around and lunged at Victor. I stood in the door frame, mouth open. Victor anticipated it, and caught him. He flung him to the side as if he weighed nothing more than a child. He gave me a quick, cocky wink, before he went on the attack.

"What the fuck?"

Rogue moved over to stand next to me.

"I think Logan ain't to pleased about him staying here."

I nodded.

"He got real upset when the Professor told him that he left the two of you alone. He started yellin and ran up here."

I marched forward, determined to break it up. These two were acting like idiots. I was not something worth fighting over. I ran and slammed by body into the nearest guy, which turned out to be Creed.

"STOP!"

He grabbed me as I started to fall, tripped up by my own momentum.

"Hang on honey, I'm almost done here."

He took a step in front of me, and I did what I thought I had to do. I kicked the back of his knee hard, making him stumble. With reflexes I would never possess, he reached out and grabbed me as he fell. I landed in a heap on top of him. I raised my head from his chest to see his face. He looked peeved, and for some reason that made me laugh.

I laughed as I rolled off of him. I was still laughing as Logan came over and helped me up.

"You okay Rose?"

"Oh yeah, I'm fine."

He looked at me like I was nuts. Maybe I was.

"Victor, Logan. My office. Now."

I looked up to see Charles wheeling away down the hall.

I made a face at Logan and he grinned at me.

"Play nice."

He nodded his head at me and walked off. Victor popped his neck, and blew me a kiss. I blanched. He took a normally sweet gesture and made it seemed violent and grotesque. I didn't blow one back.

"That was, interesting," Jean said as she hugged herself. She glanced at the retreating frames of the two buffoons and sighed.

"It was for the goddamn birds is what it was!"

Everyone turned to look at me.

"I just want to finish up with high school, get my diploma, and go to law school."

Jean seemed to perk up at the idea. She started rattling on about what courses I should take to prepare myself. Soon Scott and Ororo joined in. I let Jean steer me down to the main floor, and into her office. Soon we were all in a fulled fledged discussion about my future.

"Are you thinking Ivy League Schools?"

"No. I don't buy in to that crap. The law is the law, no matter where it's taught."

Jean smiled at me.

"I think Matt Murdock might be willing to take you on as an aide, or paralegal while you go to school."

"That would be great."

"Good. You have three courses to finish, according to your high school transcripts. Organic Chemistry, Calculus III and good graces Roslyn. You were taking all of these classed at your high school?"

"What? No. I was dual enrolled at the community college, and from there I did video classes with the University of Columbia."

"Advanced Topics in Quantum Physics? You were taking this?"

"I needed a filler, and it was interesting."

Jean's eyes bulged a little.

"Roslyn what is your IQ?"

"179."

"Roslyn, that puts you in the genius category."

I shrugged. Being smart only hampered me back when I was younger. I learned to keep my hand down, even though I knew all the answers. I put down wrong work on math tests. Same with English, history, biology, etc.

"You've been playing possum."

Scott sounded amused.

"I have."

"Whatever for?"

"I grew up in a small town. With even smaller IQ's. How well do think it would have gone over if my 6th grade teacher discovered I was smarter than him?"

He nodded.

"Not to mention I'm a mutant to boot."

"Well, you've come to the right place. The Professor is a brilliant man, but from what you said, I think you'll be doing most of your learning with Dr. Hank McCoy. He's also a genius."

I hated that word. And not only because it sounded like penis. When people said that word, defined you with it, they treated you different.

"Hey, just because I'm smart doesn't mean you two can't teach me a thing or two."

Jean and Scott smiled at me.

"And don't call me a genius."

"Why?"

"I don't like the label. If your a genius, then people think your unapproachable. Too smart for regular folk."

"That's BS."

I looked over to Rogue and smiled.

"My thoughts exactly. I'm book smart, sure. But I'm not well versed in the world, and I need all the help I can get."

Before anyone could say anything else, my stomach growled loudly.

Everyone laughed.

"I think it's time to find you something to eat. Rogue, would you take Rose to the kitchen. I'm going to go down and talk with Hank. I want you to start class on Monday morning."

"Sounds good to me."

Jean's smile lit up her whole face. She was a beautiful woman. I noticed Scott giving her a loving look. I got up quickly and headed for the door. I didn't want to see love. Especially when they seemed so damn happy about it.

Rogue got up and followed suit. Once we were out in the hallway, with the door of Jean's office firmly shut, let out a deep breath I had been holding.

"What?"

Rogue gave me a puzzled look.

"They're so happy I can practically taste it."

"So?"

"So I'm a little bitter on the subject. I don't get to fall in love. I just get a mate."

"You can love your mate."

"Have you seen my options lately?"

Rogue only smiled at me. But the smiled spoke volumes. She knew something I didn't, and wasn't sharing. I pursed my lips. Let her have her secrets then.

"Just take me to the food."

Rogue nodded and led me to the kitchen. She showed me where everything was and then headed out. She was supposed to meet Bobby.

"If you want, come find us when your done eating. We'll be out in the garden."

"Maybe."

I heard Rogue leave, never turning around from my hunt through the cupboards. I think what I needed now was some time alone. I had a lot to digest. Victor, Logan, the school, Rogue, my future.

I got so caught up with my thoughts, I didn't hear him until it was to late. I felt hands on my hips and whirled around. I was face to chest with Victor.

"Not now. I'm tired, hungry, and..."

His lips crushed into mine. I gasped in surprise, and felt his tongue dive into my mouth. His lips were soft, like the inside of rose petals. I realized what I was doing, what I was thinking. I tried to push him away, even as my body screamed for me to pull him closer. He let out a small growl and sucked my lower lip into his mouth. I let out a moan and my knees buckled under me. Victor put one of his large, muscular thighs in between my legs and all the way back until it touched the cupboards behind me. He slowly slid his leg up, until I wasn't touching the floor anymore. I moved my hands to his chest, my half hearted attempt to push him away from me. He caught them, and with one massive hand pinned them behind my back. The other went to sink into my long, garnet locks. His tongue went deeper, sending delicious spikes of heat into my body. I shivered.

"You smell so good, I could eat you up."

Victor licked and nipped at the side of my neck, making obscenely wet noises. I let out another moan. I couldn't help but think about his mouth on a much more sensitive area.

He chuckled darkly at me, almost as if he could hear my thoughts. My chest was heaving, like I was running a marathon.

"Cat got your tongue?"

Victor brought it home by licking his lips. I stared very hard at his mouth.

"How can you make me feel this way?"

My need was great. I wanted Victor to shred my clothes and take me up against the wall. Or on the kitchen table. The floor, the island, a chair.

"Your mine Roslyn."

He let go of my hands, and my hair. I sighed. I liked it when he pulled my hair. Instead he ran a hand up my stomach and let it rest on the edge of my chest. I hadn't put a bra on earlier when I changed out of my scorched t-shirt. I figured I would be sleeping, not doing, whatever we were doing.

He ran a thumb over my hardened nipple as it peeked through the thin fabric of my tank top. A jolt of pleasure ran through me. Victor grinned, and then stopped. He looked thoughtful for a second.

He brought one of my hands up to his cheek. He gently rubbed his face back and forth across it, before planting a kiss in the middle.

"And I'm yours."


	10. Chapter 10

** Once again, thanks everyone for the reviews.**

Victor left me in the kitchen, alone with my thoughts. My horribly regretful thoughts. I was no longer hungry. I felt like I had betrayed myself somehow. I was ashamed that Victor was able to so easily manipulate my body. I pulled my legs up to my chest and hid my face in my hands. Was he really my mate?

"Miss Hawthorne?"

I looked up as the smooth, cultured voice hit my ears. I went wide eyed. Standing in front of me was a man...ish. He was covered entirely with various blue furs. He was wearing a very sleek three piece suit.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright my dear?"

I blinked a few times, not sure who he was. He seemed to understand my hesitation.

"I am sorry, where are my manors? I am Doctor Hank McCoy."

Realization hit me hard. This was the man who was going to be teaching me.

"Oh, I'm sorry Dr. McCoy. I didn't..."

"It's no trouble dear. But tell me, why are you on the floor?"

He crouched down, no doubt wrinkling his expensive suit.

"When I'm confused, I find that if I take a seat, a solution presents itself."

He smiled at me, and I was dementedly happy to see he had fangs like mine.

"It's not working today."

He nodded sympathetically at me. Then he turned on his heel and sat down right next to me. I was surprised, to say the least.

"It is hard being a mutant. It's even harder being feral. Usually mutation only presents itself with one indicator. Such as the ability to control fire. But with us, we have more. Heightened senses, increased libido's, aggression. And that's just scratching the surface."

I smiled at him. He was intelligent, well spoken, and successful. He was everything I could ever hope to be.

"I know we have only just met, but would you like to tell what exactly has you on the floor searching for answers?"

When I didn't answer, he gently patted my out stretched leg.

"This may be forward of me, but Charles has spoken with me about your issues with mating. From there I can only assume, since you smell of Victor Creed, that they are related."

"Every feminist bone in my body is screaming at the thought of belonging so wholly to a man. And then there is this baser side of me, that wants nothing more than to drop to all fours whenever they are around."

Hank chuckled.

"Roslyn, I am older than I care to say, and I still have trouble when I come across a beautiful woman."

I nodded.

"Tell me everything."

He smiled at me and nodded.

"In time my dear. I fear I am rather pressed for time at the moment."

I sighed. I could wait.

"Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Have you ever been to a Congressional Meeting?"

Four hours later, I was walking through the halls of the White House. A strange concoction of fear and excitement coursed through me. When Hank asked me to come along as his assistant, I was skeptical. But I agreed, and now here I was. Thoroughly uncomfortable in my formal attire. Black tight pencil skirt, crisp white Victoria's Secret dress shirt, black stiletto's.

Hank put an arm out and stopped me.

"What's the plan?"

Hank reached up and pulled my garnet hair from the neat bun Jean had arranged.

"What are you doing?"

"Politics is a very dirty dance. And if you want to make it, you must learn to either tango, or get off the floor."

He shook my hair out some and then nodded.

"Listen closely, make eye contact, and show no fear."

I nodded. Hank started to turn away, but then turned around again.

"You looked lovely with your hair up, but that room is full of men who would, and can chew lovely woman up and spit them out. With your hair down, your more of a distraction."

"Your using me as a distraction?"

"It's merely a tactic."

"Alright. What else do you want me to do?"

"Cross and uncross your legs often. Smile when I say something witty. Be coy and captivating, without ever saying a word."

"Alright."

He smiled at me again and then we were in. Hank put a hand at the small of my stiff back and escorted me through the room. He pulled out my chair and I sat. I was so out of my league.

Men began filtering in the room, all of them older, and in expensive suits. I felt my heart rate quicken.

Everyone took a seat, and then everyone stood up. Hank placed an arm under my arm and had me rise as well. If I didn't have the presence of mind, my jaw would have dropped. Through the door walked the president of the United States.

Hank chuckled. He must have smelled my excitement, and fear.

Everyone was seated and the circus began...

_3 Hours Later_

"Mr. President, you must see the reason!"

I had been listening to this kind of talk for almost three hours now. All these men wanted mutants to be registered. Some even wanted to place chips under our skin, like they do for dogs. They would be able to find us whenever they wanted. It was ludicrous.

"Frank, this is not reason. The mutant community will see this as a declaration of war on them."

Everyone turned to look at Hank.

"Are you saying they have been plotting to wage a war against us?"

"I said nothing of the sort Frank. I said they will take it as an act of war against them. How else could they take it? You think the country is angry about big brother now? Wait until they hear about what you want to do to the mutant population."

"Regular people don't care what we do to them. They only want to feel safe."

I felt my hackles rising. I was finding it hard to keep quiet.

"What about us?"

Everybody turned to look at me.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Roslyn Hawthorne. I'm a mutant."

Everyone started talking at once. Men were getting red faced. Finally, a clear voice rang out above the others.

"Gentlemen! I would like to hear what Miss Hawthorne has to say."

The men went quiet instantly. I swallowed nervously. The president of the United States was looking at me now. He had a small smile on his lips.

"Please continue Miss Hawthorne."

I licked my lips.

"Don't we deserve to be safe? Don't I?"

Some of the men shook their heads, almost sadly.

"I'm not a terrorist, or a freedom fighter, or any of those things. And from what I've learned in this room, only a small fraction of my community is. Actually I only ever heard of one group. The Brotherhood. So why are we as an entire people being punished for the acts of a few?"

Now I had some nods of agreement. It gave me courage to keep going.

"I was in my last year of High School before I was kicked out by a predigest principal. His reasoning? He didn't want a monster in his school. I can assure you gentlemen that I am not a monster. I am simply a leap forward in evolution."

"What would you do Miss Hawthorne?"

"I would educate the public, Mr. President. Hold workshops for teachers, so they can teach tolerance in the schools. Re-vamp and push the laws we already have on racism, segregation, hate crimes. Show the mutant population you care and understand their plight."

"What exactly would say their plight is?"

Now all eyes were on me. My heart gave a nervous flutter. I can do this, I can do this. Why the hell did I say anything? I'm making myself look like a dumbass, and Hank too! Oh fuck!

"We're afraid."

"Afraid of what Miss Hawthorne?"

"You."

I saw the collective looks of astonishment on their faces.

"Your afraid of us!"

This was from a fat, balding man in the corner.

"Why shouldn't we be? Look what you were just suggesting. Force implant chips under our skin. Make us surrender all of our privacy. What part of that isn't terrifying? And what part of that isn't familiar?"

There was a hush throughout the room. It was now on everyone's mind, but nobody was saying it.

A young, dim witted assistant apparently didn't get it.

"How is this familiar?"

"The persecution of the Jewish peoples during world War 2."

The president ran his hand over his fading looks. He must have been handsome once.

"I think Doctor McCoy, and Miss Hawthorne have given us enough to think about gentlemen. As of right now, the registration act is off the table. I want to continue this discussion next week Dr. McCoy."

Hank nodded his head, smiling.

All the men began to get up. Everyone but me, Hank, and the President that is. When the room was empty, the President let out a long sigh.

"If I move forward with this new Pro-Mutant agenda, can you guarantee the support of the mutant community?"

"I would be a fool to think I could sway the entire mutant community Mr. President. I can guarantee the support of myself, Charles Xavior and the X-Men. Along with the Governor of New York, California, Michigan, and Ohio."

"That's a start."

"It is, Mr. President."

He nodded his head. I felt bad for the man, it looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Call my secretary Hank, we'll meet again sometime next week to discuss our new teaching tolerance program."

My eyes got wide, and my mouth fell open.

"Bring Miss Hawthorne."

With that he got up and left the room. I turned to Hank. He seemed as stunned as I was.

"Roslyn, do you have any idea what you've just done?"

I shook my head.

"You just convinced the President of the United States to not only remove the registration act, but to implement a mutant tolerance program."

I blinked rapidly, not sure what to say. All I could keep thinking was how? All I did was say what was on my mind.

"I.."

Hank let out a joyous laugh, as he clapped his hands together.

"Come, we have to get back to the school. I believe a celebration is in order."

I nodded, once again lacking something intelligent to say.

_2 hours later, the Xavier Institute._

"You should have seen her Charles! Never have I been witness to such a show! She was magnificent."

I was still in semi-shock. Charles, Hank, Jean, Scott and Ororo were all talking excitedly in the corner of the den. I was curled up in a leather chair, staring into the fire.

"You okay kid?"

I smiled softly, the concern Logan had for me was etched in his scent, in his words.

"Considering the day I've had, yeah."

Logan pulled up a nearby chair so close our knees were touching.

"Heard ya met the president."

"Yeah I met him."

"You don't sound to excited kid."

"I'm not. I stood up in front of my president and tried to make him see our side of things."

"Hank said he did."

"Hank's right. But now he wants me to go with Hank and help out with this mutant tolerance program."

Logan's brow lifted in surprise.

"I haven't even graduated from high school! I can't do this."

Logan leaned forward and patted my leg.

"You don't gotta do nothin you don't want to."

"The President of the United States of America asked for me to be there Logan. I'm not about to say no."

Logan grinned at me, but didn't move his hand.

"Yer smart Rose, and old blue butt over there will be with ya. You'll do fine."

I smirked at the blue butt comment, and then made a face. Logan snorted in amusement.

"Thanks for that mental image Logan. I may be scarred for life."

Now Logan was laughing hard, and I was struggling not to bust a gut as well. I bit my bottom lip to stop myself.

Logan noticed and I watched his eyes grow darker. His scent changed, and I had a few seconds to register he was about to do something stupid. Logan leaned forward and caught my lips in his. My hands flew up and tried to push him away. Logan pulled out of the kiss, leaving me shocked. He got up and left the room, cursing quietly under his breath.

I blinked a few times, trying to understand. Logan didn't effect me the same way Victor did. Victor drove me crazy, his scent, his touch. Everything. But Logan. Logan was more subtle. His company was pleasant, he was a looker, and he wasn't a bad kisser.

I shook my head of these thoughts. I had too much going on at once. Victor, Logan, Hank, the president, mutant rights. If I could get headaches, I'm sure I would have one. Scratch that, I would have a migraine. One that left me bleeding at the ears.

Since no one seemed to notice the scene Logan and I just had, I decided it was best to go to bed before anything else could happen. I got up and left the room. It was late, and most everyone was asleep in their rooms. Three floors up, first door on the left. I scanned my key, ready for a peaceful night of rest.

A soft rumble tickled across my skin, raising goosebumps. So much for my peaceful night of sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

** I want to apologize for the sloppiness of my last chapter. It was written rather fast, and with little thought to grammar. And per some fan requests, I will start making my chapters longer. I love ya guys, keep reading, and keep letting me know what you like, don't like. ;)**

The familiar scent of cigar and grease hit my nose. I sighed, turning around to see Logan leaning against the bookshelf.

"What's up Logan?"

He ran a hand over his face and shook his head.

"I came to apologize for earlier. I...I can't control myself around you Roslyn."

I nodded, this discussion becoming familiar.

"I get that."

He licked his lips, but kept quiet.

"How you handling all this? Creed giving you any trouble?"

Define trouble, I thought to myself. A single thought in his direction made my pulse rev up.

"I can smell it kid. You want him."

"My body wants him. My mind...well it has other ideas. And I need to get right with that."

"What are ya gonna do?"

"The best I can. I'm not going to just give in. You need a majority vote to have me."

"Majority vote?"

"Body, Heart, Brain. Victor only has pull over one of them. It's not enough for me to commit."

Logan graced me with a rare smile.

"Yer one of a kind Rose."

"Yeah, I am."

Logan and I sat in comfortable silence.

"Logan."

"Yeah?"

"Whatever does happen, promise me we'll still be friends."

Logan gave me a pained look.

"I can't promise ya that Rosie."

I felt like crying. Logan was the first real, solid connection I had made in this world. The idea of losing him left a vile taste in my mouth, and a hole in my heart.

"Can you promise to try?"

Logan walked forward and pulled me into a hug. We stood there, embracing each other.

"For you kid."

He kissed the side of my face and left the room. I was left with emotions I didn't know how to handle. I wanted my mom. Where was she?

"_Your mother is in New York City with your brother. They left this afternoon while you were away with Hank."_

Charles presence in my mind was comforting. He helped push away the dangerous thoughts.

_"What are they doing in New York?"_

_ "We have set your mother up with a new job, new name. New life."_

I sighed. It made sense. My mother wasn't a mutant, so she really didn't belong here. And she was the former lover of a dangerous F.O.H. Agent, the father of her son. It really was for the best. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

_"You understand my reasons."_

_ "I do."_

_ "But.."_

_ "But I wish I could have seen her before she left. It feels like it's been so long."_

_ "She looked in on you while you were asleep."_

It was a comforting thought.

_"You will see her again Roslyn. I promise."_

_ "I will hold you to that."_

_ "I have no doubt you will. Hank has asked me to inform you that you will begin your classes tomorrow morning, 9 a.m., if that is agreeable with you."_

_ "9 is fine. Where do I..."_

_ "He will meet you at your room. I'm afraid your lessons will be, on the fly, as they say. Hank is a rather busy man."_

_ "I don't want to impose."_

_ "He has insisted, rather passionately, that he take you on as his protege."_

I smiled, as pride flooded my system.

_"It will not be easy Roslyn. You will have to do a lot of the teaching yourself, as well as the learning."_

_ "I enjoy a good challenge."_

_ "Hank said you would."_

_ "It's scary how well he knows me already."_

_ "You and he are of like minds. I believe he considers you kin."_

My grin slipped a little wider. Maybe I wouldn't be so alone.

_"You are tired my dear, so I will leave you to your dreams."_

_ "Thank you Professor. For everything."_

_ "No need my dear. You are family now."_

Charles left my mind, and I drifted off to sleep, with thoughts of a new family and a new future.

**********_Hours Later*************_

I heard thumping on my door and groaned. Would no one in this blasted mansion let me sleep in peace?

I rolled off the bed begrudgingly, pulling down my skirt that had ridden up. I hadn't meant to sleep in the outfit. Ah well.

I opened the door and was puzzled to see Hank pacing outside my room

"Dr. McCoy?"

"Ah! Roslyn!"

A horrible pit opened up in my stomach. Did I sleep past our scheduled meeting time?

"Oh God, please tell me I did not sleep past our appointment."

Hank seemed amused.

"Heavens no. It's rather late actually, and I apologize for that. But I find myself seeking your company."

I nodded, unsure of what else to do.

"Would you be so kind as to listen to the rants of an old fool?"

I smiled then. Hank was lonely, and only wanted to chat.

"Your hardly a fool Dr. McCoy, and if you have an issue, I have an ear. Just let me change into something more comfortable."

Hank smiled warmly at me.

"I will meet you down in Charles's library."

I nodded and closed my door. I didn't have much for clothes, so I pulled on some black yoga pants, and a long, tight, v-neck sweater. Black flats graced my feet and I was out. I braided my long hair as I walked down the hall. I was just putting the elastic at the end when I felt a pair of large arms encircle my waist.

"Let me go Victor."

"You didn't want me to let you go earlier."

He had his face buried in my neck, and then suddenly pulled back.

"You smell like the runt."

I turned around to face him, and my breath caught in my throat. Wearing a black wife beater and a pair of dark jeans, Victor was looking delicious. I shook my head, trying to rid my mind of the sexually explicit images.

"Logan came to apologize to me earlier."

Victor scrutinized me, his eyes narrowing, as he took in my appearance.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to meet Hank in the library."

"A little late night reading...Or something else?"

My mouth fell open. I could not believe he was implying that about me and Hank. Hank was a teacher, a brother, hell a father. I couldn't think of him that way.

Offended I spun on my heel and walked away. I was not a fool, and I knew when I was being baited.

I was halfway down the second set of stairs when I heard him running after me. I didn't stop.

"Roslyn!"

I ignored him as I entered the hallway off the stairs and headed for Charles private library. Victor's large hand grabbed my upper arm and whirled me around.

"Don't you walk away from me."

I shrugged my arm free of his crushing grip.

"I'll do anything I damn well please Mr. Creed."

He let loose a snarl, and I took a step back. I didn't have long to worry about what he was going to do, because Hank came to my rescue.

"Is something the matter Mr. Creed?"

Victor turned and I'm sure he gave Hank a look that was twice what mine was.

"Roslyn, dear, please wait in the library while I have a quick word with Mr. Creed."

"Yes Doctor."

I gave Victor wide birth as I quickly walked the short distance to where Hank was standing in the doorway to the library. Hank gave me a reassuring wink and ushered me inside. When the door was closed, I let out a breath. I had never seen anyone look at me like he just did. I shivered.

Now I'm normally a very curious person, but the table littered with papers and files, gnawed at me more than the conversation going on out in the hall. I knew what that was about, well mostly about. Curiosity piqued, I headed over to snoop. Hank isn't a fool. He wouldn't have left these out if he didn't want me to see. I took a seat at in a chair and pulled the nearest file to me. Engrossed, I was oblivious to the conversation turned argument going on outside the room. I also didn't notice when Hank re-entered the library.

"I see you have been reading yourself in."

I startled, jumping slightly.

"I'm sorry Roslyn, I did not mean to startle you."

"It's alright, I was just so caught up in this file..."

Hank leaned over and glanced at which file I was reading.

"Ah yes, Jack Farling."

From what I could gather, Jack Farling was being prosecuted for assault.

"Dr. McCoy, why are you looking into these cases?"

I wasn't an idiot. Hank was the Mutant Ambassador for the United States government, along with being the world's leading biochemist and geneticist. So why was he looking into legal cases.

"You are aware of my prowess in science, but I am also a graduate of Harvard's Law School."

I blinked a few times. Was there nothing Hank couldn't do?

"Are you taking lead on these cases then?"

"A friend of mine, Matthew Murdock has asked me in."

"Burning the candle at both ends?"

Hank smiled and pulled a chair up flush to mine.

"These cases are very important. Everyone one of the defendants is a mutant."

"Farling is accused of assault with a deadly weapon."

"The rest of these cases are of similar offenses."

"Why are they so important?"

"Matt believes it is a ruse. All of the plaintiff's in the cases have F.O.H ties."

I sat back and thought on that for a second. A ruse...Then I groaned. This could be bad.

"Tell me."

I took a deep breath.

"I'm not sure, so I'm just going to throw this out there."

Hank nodded and placed his hands together on his stomach as he leaned back.

"I only glanced at a few of the files, but from what I saw, and what you've told me, they are all being prosecuted for assault. What the file didn't say, was what they used, so I'm assuming that since they are all mutants, the weapon or weapons are their powers."

"So far so good Roslyn. What else?"

"Well..."

I licked my lips before I continued.

"If the plaintiff's all do really have ties to the F.O.H, then this could be a set up."

"How?"

"They could bait the defendants, corner them, threaten them. Force them to use their powers to defend themselves."

"And then they press charges. Exactly right Roslyn."

I could hear the pride in Hank's voice. It made me blush.

"So what's the end game?"

"Matt believes, and I do as well that this is an attempt by the F.O.H to prove to the rest of the world that mutants are dangerous."

"I think I am missing something here. Aren't the mutants claiming self defense?"

"They are, but in every case, there are credible witnesses saying they just attacked. No provocation."

"What do the witnesses look like?"

"Upstanding citizens. Police Officer's, nurses, teachers."

I sighed. So this was their way of poisoning the public.

"So much for our tolerance program."

"It gets worse."

"What?"

"We believe your mother's boyfriend is involved."

"It's not that bad. I never liked him anyway."

Hank nodded, but his look said he had more.

"What else?"

"All the defendants have records."

Hank reached over and pulled a file from the stack. He handed it to me. I opened the file and gasped.

Staring up at me was a picture of my father.

"My father is one of the defendants!"

Hank nodded his head sadly.

"They were all specifically chosen, because of their past."

"How did they find them? Mutants aren't exactly the chatty type."

"Unfortunately, we believe a another mutant sold the information to the F.O.H. Someone who had contact with each of these men. Someone who worked with them."

All the missing pieces fell into place. Victor said he picked up my scent in Vegas. Greg had been in Vegas two months before I left home. I was played from the beginning.

I picked my chair up and threw it at the door as hard as I could.

"I was HERDED!"

Hank remained seated, looking at me sadly.

"Played for months before I left home."

I was enraged. My muscles were tense, my breathing was heavy. I wanted to kill Greg, kill Victor.

"What else do you know?"

"The information was traded, not sold. You for the names."

"How could he do that to them?"

Hank blanched momentarily, and then got up and came to where I was standing. He pulled me into an embrace. I felt the first tears roll down my cheeks.

"Victor Creed gave up a long time ago. We cannot change his actions, or the actions of others around us. All we can do is try and set this right."

I nodded against his shoulder. My father, all those other mutants wrongfully accused, because Creed had no loyalty, no conscience.

"I want to help. I need to fix this."

"You can, and we will."

I eased back from Hank, and wiped my cheeks.

"I feel like such a fool."

"You are not a fool Roslyn."

"It was under my nose, the entire time."

"How on earth could you expect yourself to know what was going on? When Matt and myself just figured it out?"

"What can I do?"

"Read the files, memorize them. Your going to be my assistant, my paralegal, as it were. You'll be doing research, conducting interviews."

"Anything you need, anything."

Hank nodded and then handed me some paper work.

"What's this?"

"Fill these out. It's for legal purposes. W2's, confidentiality, etc."

I sat down and filled out all the paperwork. When I was done, I signed and dated the bottom. Hank took them with a smile.

"I have copied all the pertinent files, evidence lists, witness information. It's all over there."

I looked over, and Hank had placed all files in one of the plastic rolling boxes. It even had a handle.

"What about my schooling?"

"This is your schooling Roslyn. At any time, you may go to Charles and take your G.E.D. Test."

"I'm going in the morning then."

Hank smiled and patted me on the shoulder.

"A fine idea. I fear you will have little time in the future for anything else."

I nodded.

"I don't want to do anything else. Not until they are all acquitted."

"For now, I suggest you get some sleep. Tomorrow, I will be flying out to New York to meet with Matt and discuss the case. I expect you to be read completely in by the time I get back."

"I want to come."

"Roslyn..."

"No, I can read on the plane. If I'm going to help, then I need to be included. In everything."

Hank seemed to think it over.

"Alright. Pack an emergency bag, and be down in the hall at 7 am."

I nodded as I walked over and took the handle on my files.

"Get some sleep Roslyn. Your going to need to be at your sharpest in the morning."

"I'll sleep when this is done."

"You remind me of a young me."

"Here's hoping."

Something about the way he held his head made me think that Hank was blushing. I left the room, hell bent on fixing all of this. But not before I made a stop.

Victor's room was near mine. I pounded on the door, working out some of my anger in the process.

He flung the door open with a snarl.

"I know what you did. And I just wanted to tell you that I think you are a filthy, lowly coward. You are a exactly what everyone said you were, and I want nothing to do with you."

I turned around and left, feeling better having said my piece. Granted I had more to say, but I left before I regretted it.

Back in my room, I packed the bag Hank suggested, set my alarm, and sat down to a long night of reading.


	12. Chapter 12

** Many thanks to those who reviewed, and to those who gave some insight and ideas. I'll do my best to work it in. Please keep up the good work. R.R.E.**

It was well after 2 am when I heard the soft knock at my door. I had a feeling I knew who it was, although I figured he would come earlier. I got up off the floor, carefully avoiding my controlled chaos littered all around where I was sitting. I opened the door and learned my deductions were right.

Victor was leaning against the frame, looking penative.

"Yes?"

"You going to invite me in, or do you have to have this conversation out in the hallway?"

I took a deep breath, and weighed my options. The hallway was safer, but lacked privacy. I stepped back and allowed him in.

Victor moved through my room behind me as I closed the door. I figured I was in for some sort of rebuttal. Some defensive tactic based on what I said and did earlier.

I turned and took my seat among the files on the floor again. Victor took a seat in the desk chair. It was silent for awhile as he watched me reading.

"Why did you do it?"

I was still reading, but I needed to make him quit looking at me like that.

"Does it matter? It's done."

I set the file down angrily.

"It matters. None of these mutants deserved what you did to them."

"I worked with them. They are killers."

"Everyone has a past Victor."

I watched as he ran his hand over his face.

"Why did you come here? What exactly did you expect to happen?"

Victor remained silent and I shook my head. Did he come here thinking I would forgive him and throw myself at him? Not going to happen.

"I made the deal to protect you."

I looked up at him, the shock and confusion showing on my face.

"Protect me from what? Greg? That's ludicrous."

Victor gave me a small smile and a head shake.

"I wasn't worried about Greg sweetheart. I was worried about who he works for, and what they would do to you. And your family."

I blinked a few times, trying to make sense of this. Victor made the deal to protect my family from the F.O.H. It was plausible, but I wasn't ready to trust him.

"Why didn't you just come and get me then? Why offer up all of these men as sacrifices?"

"Would you have come with me? A stranger at your door telling you that your family was in danger?"

He had a point. I would have never let him near my family, and I sure as hell wouldn't have left with him.

I sighed.

"Alright. Maybe your telling the truth. Maybe not. But as far as I'm concerned, what you did was still unforgivable."

"Why?"

My eyebrows came together in frustration and anger.

"Why? Do you have any idea what the repercussions to your actions are?"

Victor said nothing, only looked at me expectantly.

"All this paperwork, all these files. Do you know what they are?"

Victor shrugged.

"All the men you sold to the F.O.H are being prosecuted for assault with a deadly weapon. It's a ruse set up by the F.O.H to turn the public against us. And if it works, you can say goodbye to every freedom you ever thought you had."

Still nothing from him.

"Do you know where I went earlier today?"

"No."

"Dr. McCoy took me to an emergency congressional meeting. I spoke to the President of the United States and convinced him to take the registration act off the table and establish tolerance programs in schools. All of that work, and this. THIS. What you did is going undermine everything we just accomplished."

"Your really serious about this."

I felt my hackles raising. Serious about this? This was everything to me.

"Serious? How could I not be? Look what's at stake? Beyond the lives of these 8 men, it's the entire mutant community! I've never been more serious about anything in my entire life. And I'm not doing anything else until I fix this."

Victor leaned forward and picked up a case file. I watched as he leaned back and began reading it.

"What are you doing?"

He looked at me above the file, and gave me a grin.

"Atoning."

I'm pretty sure my eyebrows disappeared into my hairline.

"Your serious."

"I'm here aren't I?"

I sat back against my bed, and thought. I was assuming this was Victor's way of apologizing for ruining the lives of eight men and jeopardizing the stability of the human-mutant relation.

I laughed out loud. I couldn't help it. It was absolutely absurd.

"So your just going to jump in, get your hands dirty, and expect that I'll forgive you?"

"Eventually."

His confidence was annoying. He seemed to think he could do whatever he wanted he and I would be this fountain of forgiveness.

"I'll make you a deal."

Victor set the file down on his lap and looked at me.

"I'm listening."

"If you help make this right, I'll forgive you."

"What makes you think I care if you forgive me?"

At first I was enraged, but then I smiled sadly. He wanted me to forgive him, needed it. I could smell the barley covered desperation. He wanted someone to be with him, understand him. His scent was telling me things I bet he would never dare utter.

"You care, even if you won't tell me. Victor, you have to let me in. I need to know who you are, so I can make an informed decision about whether or not I want to be your mate."

Victor launched to his feet, anger and frustration prevalent in his scent.

"It's not a decision! You ARE my mate. I've waited years, paid my dues, and now I've found you! And I'm not letting you go."

Victor stormed out of my room. I sighed. I felt bad for him, which I'm sure was not something he wanted from me, but I couldn't help it. Why on earth was this happening to me?

"What a way to start out Roslyn."

Talking out loud to myself was standard operating procedure for me. Another knock at the door had me cursing out loud. Getting off the floor, and swearing like a sailor, I opened the door.

"Rogue?"

She was crying and I ushered her in quickly.

"What happened?"

I could smell blood on her, and I began looking for the source.

"Rogue, your bleeding. We need to get you to the infirmary."

"No!"

"Tell me what happened."

She took in a shaky breath and ran a hand through her hair. I saw the cut on her forehead.

"I snuck out to see Bobby, but when I got to his room, he was..."

Rogue broke down crying. I pulled her to me, and waited it out. I comforted her, whispered words of care to her. She reigned in her emotions and continued her story.

"Bobby was with someone else."

"Who?"

"Kitty."

"And she attacked you?"

"She came at me with a lamp."

"We need to get you healed."

"I can't go down there! I'll have to tell on Kitty and then she and the rest of them will make my life hell."

I pursed my lips. I hated bullies.

"Okay, take your gloves off."

"Roslyn I can't! You could die."

"Maybe. But I'm willing to risk it."

Rogue nodded and then took her gloves off. Hands shaking, she raised them and placed them on my face. I felt strange for a fraction of a second, before the itch kicked in. I was healing as Rogue borrowed from me. I watched as her cut healed on her forehead. She held on a little longer, and I had to assume she had other injuries I couldn't see. She took her hands off and I felt fine.

"I can't believe how fast you heal. It's like nothing happens when I touch you."

"Not much does. I can't feel anything other than the itch."

"The itch?"

"Yeah, it's what my healing factor feels like. A crazy itching and then everything is fine."

Rogue smiled and then hugged me. She kissed the side of my face over and over again. I normally would have protested, but I could feel her tears. She had been without contact for so long. I could put my mild discomfort aside to make her feel better.

"Thank you."

I smiled at her and nodded my head.

"Anytime."

"I didn't mean to spring all this on ya. I just didn't know where else to go."

"It's alright. I wasn't sleeping anyways."

Rogue nodded and looked around.

"What are ya doin?"

I explained the situation. Rogue looked horrified.

"You've got to fix this!"

"I'm going to."

Rogue nodded her head.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"How could Bobby do this to me? I love him."

"I'm the wrong person to be asking about advice on men."

Rogue nodded and hugged herself.

"I bet Jean would know what to do."

Rogue looked at me wide eyed.

"You don't have to tell her everything. Granted she could just take a peak into your mind and see it all for herself, but I don't think she would. Jean has a very high morale ground."

"Ya think that would be best?"

"She's smart, and had more experience with relationships than I have. Plus she's a doctor, and may be able to help you with the issue of contact."

Rogue flushed a dark red.

"Bobby is always pushing to go farther. I want to, I really do. But I'll hurt him."

I nodded.

"Men are always thinking with the wrong head."

That made Rogue smile, and then laugh. I joined her but was interrupted by the loud grumbling of my stomach.

"Didn't you eat today?"

"No, I got some unexpected company in the kitchen, and then Hank, and then the President. It's been a busy day."

"No shit. So...How was it?"

"How was what?"

Rogue opened my door and inclined her head. I followed, assuming we were heading down to the kitchen for a late night snack.

"Don't hold out on me. I know Vic was all over you in the kitchen."

"Care to state your sources?"

"A good investigator never reveals a source."

"I believe that applies to reporters and journalists. Not police officers."

"I'm a little of both."

"So an investigative journalist."

"Exactly. So, what's up. Are you two together now, or what?"

"We are definitely not together. And we may never be."

"Why's that?"

"Well for one, he's the reason for this whole mess we're in. And second, he won't let me in. I never get to see past the snarkiness and arrogance."

"Well you can't expect that much from him. I mean, he's a murderer, a contract killer. He probably doesn't have another side for you to see."

Food for thought I guess. But I had seen what I had seen. He was lonely, almost painfully so.

"Roslyn?"

"What?"

"I asked about you and Logan."

"Oh, sorry. I was thinking about what you said."

Rogue nodded, and opened the door to the kitchen. I hadn't realized we were even close. I must have been thinking for awhile now.

"What about me and Logan."

"Yeah, what about Logan?"

I looked up and saw Logan sitting at the island drinking a beer.

"Rogue was just being nosy. She wants the scoop on our secret sex life."

Logan choked on his beer, sending most of it flying out of his mouth, and leaving the rest of it to dribble down his chin.

"That's not funny Roslyn. It's a career I'm giving serious thought to."

"Then I apologize, but if your serious about becoming an investigative journalist, then I think you should look into more serious issues."

"I was just having a little go at ya."

I smiled at her, and she smiled back.

"Alright."

I was raiding the fridge and came across some sliced roast beef.

"This anybodies?"

Logan looked over and nodded.

"It's mine kid, but go ahead and make yerself a sandwich."

I nodded my thanks. Once I finished making two sandwiches, I put everything away. I got to the table and put one plate down in front of Logan and the other in front of me.

"Thanks Rose."

"How did you know he was hungry?"

I looked over to Rogue, who was sitting across from us.

"When I opened the bag of roast beef, I heard his stomach rumbling."

"I didn't hear anything."

"It was very quiet."

Rogue nodded, and then added,

"Logan, you never share your food."

I gave Logan a sideways look, and watched the small smile light up his face.

"I share."

He was pretending to sound offended. It made me smile.

"You two are grinning like Cheshire cats. And no Logan, ya don't share."

"Whatever is mine, is Rose's."

That slowed my eating. Logan, a typical alpha male, just agreed to share with me. Not something they do, unless of course they were sharing with their mate. I sighed and continued to eat. Now it was official. Both Logan and Victor were trying for the vacant mate place in my life.

Rogue looked from me, back to Logan, and then back again. Then she grinned, and it was a sly thing.

"I'm getting a little sleepy, I'll see y'all in the mornin."

I gave her my best glare, but she just smiled and slid off the stool and practically pranced out of the room. So now Rogue was a matchmaker.

"Logan..."

"No, let me say this first Rose."

I nodded my head.

"I may not be smart like Hank, rich like the professor, or whatever the hell you see in Creed. But I care for ya kid. When yer not around I worry about ya. When I see ya, I want to kiss you, hold you. I want you to tell me about yer day, what ya did and what yer thinkin' about."

My heart was beating painfully fast.

"I want to wake up every mornin' and see your face, feel you next to me. I want you Rose. Forever."

I blinked rapidly, telling myself it was dust or something in my eyes, and not tears. I opened my mouth to speak, but then closed it again. I had no idea what to say to him. Everything Logan said was beautiful. He wore his heart on his sleeve, told me the truth about what he was feeling. And truth be told, my heart agreed with him.

"Talk to me Rose."

"For the first time in my life, I can't speak. I can't find the words."

I did the only thing I could think of. I grabbed Logan's hand and placed it over my heart. It was still thumping erratically, like it wanted to jump from my chest.

Logan's eyes met mine, and he knew. My heart was beating for him. He leaned in and kissed me, and I kissed him back. My heart cried out in pleasure, having found it's equal.

His lips moved slow and gentle. Logan stuck a foot under my stool and scooted me closer to him. His rough hands came up and cupped my face as he kissed me.

A loud growl ripped through the silence and made the hair all over my body stand at attention. Logan pulled away from me and we both looked over to where Victor was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. His lips were pulled back, his canines gleaming fiercely.

"Get your hands off my mate runt."

"She ain't property Creed, how many times I gotta tell ya?"

Logan slid off the stool and I heard a strange metallic noise before being introduced with the sight of Logan's claws. I had never seen them up close before.

"I won't tell ya again runt. Get away from my mate."

Logan slid two of his claws down, leaving only the middle one up. It was an amusing gesture, and I had a hard time restraining a laugh. The situation was not one for laughs, in fact, it was closely becoming a thing of danger.

"Enough."

My voice rang out loud and clear. I was sick and tired of being fought over. I was not property, as Logan had so adamantly stated. But neither was I the type of girl who liked the idea of men fighting over her.

"Both of you. This is my decision to make."

Logan slid his claws in reluctantly. Victor let out a low laugh.

"Can't even keep her in line runt, how do you expect to top her?"

I was so offended I didn't even know where to begin.

"How dare you presume anything about me. You don't know me, Mr. Creed."

Creed snorted at me, his grin never slipping.

"Oh, I know you Roslyn. Hiding behind your intellect, trying so hard to be civil, be human. But it's not working, is it Roslyn? I can smell it on you. The runt smells it on you. You want nothing more than for me to come over there, force you on all fours and mount you like the bitch you are."

I lost control. Everything inside me demanded justice. This male wanted to top me? Well he would have to fight for it, and I would get my pound of flesh.

I flew over the island and hit Creed with so much force it broke my ribs. Even as the pain hit me, and the itch started, I buried my claws into his chest, and raked them down. He let out a roar and flung me to the side. I scrambled up and into a low defensive stance. Creed got to his feet slowly, and gave me a smirk

"There she is. I was wondering when you would come out to play."

I snarled in response. Then Creed launched himself at me and I steadied myself for the crushing blow. It never came. Logan slammed into Creed mid-air and sent them sailing into the dining area. I moved so I could see them. I wish I hadn't. I watched as they ripped into each other. Creed's claws making gashes all over Logan's upper torso, and Logan's blades puncturing and slashing into Creed. When Creed leaned forward and captured Logan's shoulder with his fangs, Logan let out a roar of pain. It snapped me out of the trance. I ran back into the kitchen and picked up a stool. With aim I didn't know I had, I hit them both directly as they fought closely. It shocked them, and as they both looked around for the unforeseen threat I planted my self between them.

"STOP IT."

I pushed at Creed's big chest. Then I pounded on it.

"Please stop it. Both of you."

At first my pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. But Logan backed off first, staggering back a few steps. Creed didn't move, and I hadn't expected him to.

"This is crazy. You can't fight over me. I'm not worth this."

"Your worth it Rose," Logan wheezed out from a few feet away.

"No more fighting. I'm sorry I can't choose. But each of you have different parts of me."

"The majority Rose?"

I nodded, glad that he remembered.

"What's the majority?"

I turned to look at Creed. His gray eyes were transfixed on me as I stood next to him.

"It's a system I use. Heart, brain and body. Each one of you holds a different part of me. Logan has my heart."

Logan looked at me, and I smiled at him. How could he not capture it so completely? He was everything anyone could possibly want in a man. Strong, loyal, loving.

A nudge from Creed brought me back to look at him.

"And you have my body."

Creed grinned at me. He knew I found him attractive. And who could blame me? He was six feet, four inches of hardened, tan muscle. His scent, his eyes, his mouth. Everything about him drove me nuts.

"But my brain. My brain thinks that I should choose neither of you. The smartest, safest plan would be for me to marry some nerdy computer software developer, and live a safe, comfortable life, away from all of this."

I knew it would never happen. Creed would never stop hunting me, and Logan. Well Logan would let me go, if it's what I really wanted. But it's not. I wanted both of them. In different ways of course.

"I don't know how to choose."

Neither Logan nor Creed said anything. I think it sank in for both of them. Neither could win by fighting.


	13. Chapter 13

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I walked out of the kitchen, passing by a worried looking Jean, being comforted by a stern looking Scott, followed by an angry professor. I heard him call out to me, but I didn't answer. I just kept walking until I found myself in the yard behind the house. I kept going until I reached the end of the manicured lawn, and the beginning of wilderness. Hanging from an ancient looking tree that sat on the border was an old swing. Made of nothing but an old board and thick rope, I took a seat on the swing, and let my feet dangle.

What on earth was I going to do? Logan and Victor were ripping me asunder. I had always thought of myself as stable, relatively strong. Until now. I just couldn't get right with any of this shit. And it just kept coming. Like a series of hit and runs. Just when I find the strength to get up from the first hit, I'm cut down again.

I sighed again.

"A woman as beautiful as you should not be so sad."

His voice was heavily accented with what could only be known as Cajun. A beautiful, but odd mix of the French language and the American South. Namely New Orleans.

I craned my neck to see a 6'1, 180 pound handsome man leaning on the tree behind me. He was wearing an old bowler hat, pulled low over his eyes.

"Beauty isn't a shield."

He nodded as he pulled out a deck of playing cards. I watched as he dexterously flipped them around and threaded them through his fingers.

"Gambit think you need a little comforting."

I closed my eyes, thinking about how much I really did need to be comforted. I imagined him listening to me, holding me. I imagined all the peace and pleasure. The world melting away from me as I slipped into oblivious pleasure...

I shook my head. What the hell had me thinking like that? I looked over to the man, Gambit, he called himself. It was him. He was doing it. He had some sort of ability to manipulate emotions.

"That was naughty. And stupid."

He smiled at me, and I stood from the swing. I was tired of everyone thinking I was just some little girl they could manipulate. Sick of the amused looks I got when I stood up for myself. Nobody took me seriously. I was just as dangerous as Logan. As Victor.

"Now now cher. Gambit was just having a little fun."

I snarled softly, peeling my lips back from my teeth. I felt my claws extend farther than they had ever gone. It was painful, but they looked more intimidating now. One inch razor claws graced my hands as I stared at the would be mind raper.

"At my expense. What would you have done if my mind had been weaker?"

Gambit stopped playing with the cards, and I noticed a subtle change in his scent. He was angry now. I saw something slide over the cards, something red-ish in color. It looked like a current of electricity. I trusted my instincts, and leaned back as one of his cards sailed past my head. I watched as the card exploded a mere inch from me.

I turned my icy blue eyes on the cajun.

"Gambit ain't never had to force a woman."

"Could have fooled me."

I started walking toward him slowly, trying my best to copy what I had seen Victor do. I watched as fear creeped into the man's scent. Never in my life I had directly caused this kind of fear. It was an aphrodisiac of sorts. I could see where someone could become addicted to it. The cajun raised his hand and all the cards followed. He sent them streaming at me, each one charged with his weird red electricity. I watched them, almost as if they moved at me in slow motion. I turned and twisted my body as necessary, to avoid being hit.

I stopped walking about a foot in front of the cajun. He held very still.

"I have no intention of hurting you Mr. Gambit. I just wanted you to know how very little I like being fucked with."

I watched him swallow, and then smile. He tipped his hat back and my blue eyes met with his red and black ones.

"Gambit is sure glad cher. You one scary bitch."

I smiled. Yeah, I could be a scary bitch when I wanted to.

"Under the circumstances, I'm going to take that as a compliment."

He nodded, giving me a once over.

"You got blood on your hands cher."

I looked down and saw gleaming ruby droplets. A careful study showed I had split my nail beds when I forced more of my claw out then before. I slid them back in with a hiss of pain. The cuts healed immediately.

"You just like de big ugly."

"The big ugly?"

"The wolverine."

A smile tugged on my lips. Logan was the big ugly to this guy?

"So I take it your familiar with the mansion."

"Oui. Gambit come around from time to time. Check on things."

"Well then Mr. Gambit, I'm Roslyn Hawthorne. Welcome back."

He smiled at me again and it was a dastardly thing. He was shamelessly flirting with me, even after what had just occurred.

Taking my hand in his, he leaned down and planted a carefully placed kiss on the back of my palm.

"Remy Etienne LeBeau at your service"

A cajun charmer, just what we needed.

"So cher, why come you out here by yourself, in the middle of de night?"

"I needed some space to think."

He nodded, seemingly understanding.

"No beau to warm your bed?"

"Too many beaus wanting to warm my bed these days."

Remy laughed long and hard.

"Gambit like you cher."

"I'm warming up to you as well."

I heard voices and footsteps approaching.

"We've got company."

In the early morning light, my eyes worked as if it was noon. I could see the worry etched on Remy's face.

"Not supposed to be out here?"

Remy didn't answer, but instead gave me a look.

"Go."

He raised an eyebrow at me, and then smiled.

"You alright cher, ya know that?"

"Yeah yeah. Quit sweet talking me and get out of here."

With another dashing smile, Remy took off into the woods at a fast pace. I didn't know why he wasn't supposed to be out here, and I didn't care. I walked back over and sat on the swing. I wasn't worried about Remy being discovered. Neither Logan nor Victor were with. Scents and all that.

"Roslyn? 

Charles's voice was calming, smooth and comforting. I found myself smiling.

"Professor?"

I was sitting on the swing with my back to them, rocking myself slowly back and forth.

"Are you alright."

"Oh, I'm fine. I just needed some air."

I heard his chair moving to come to rest next to me.

"Are you really?"

"More or less. I have issues to work out, I'm not ignorant to that fact. But I can't let it get the best of me. I have things to do, people who have put faith and trust in me. And I'll be damned if I let them down."

I saw Charles smile.

"Whoever you choose, I hope he is worthy of you."

And then Charles turned his wheelchair around and headed back toward the mansion.

"And Roslyn."

I turned my head to look at him.

"It's 4:45 am. I suggest you make haste if you want to meet with Hank with a fresh face."

I laughed. I had slept less than 10 hours in the last three days. I don't think I'm going to be fresh faced for a long time. Although truthfully, with my healing factor I didn't think I could not look fresh faced. I couldn't get dark circles, breakout's, or discoloration. Handy.

I spent a few more minutes on the swing, before I got curious. Someone was watching me, I felt their eyes on me ever since the Professor came to speak with me.

Scanning the tree line, I found no one. I didn't think I would. I turned on the swing and studied the mansion. I started with the bottom windows and worked my way up. I soon found purchase. With his window wide open, Victor was lazing against the frame, one leg hanging out. I was reminded very much of a cat. I got up and headed back across the lawn toward the mansion. He waited until I was closer before hopping out of the window and landing gracefully on his feet.

"So now your visually stalking me?"

He rolled his big shoulders.

"Just making sure you were safe."

"I was in the backyard."

He nodded but said nothing else. I kept walking and he fell in step beside me. I had just reached the door when Victor moved up and blocked the path.

"No games Victor."

"I don't play."

I nodded.

"Well maybe you should. Loosen up a little."

I sighed when he didn't move. I really didn't have the time for this. I turned around and started to walk off the patio.

"You okay cher?"

I turned around and smiled at Remy. He come out the second door. Duh Roslyn! It was French doors, why hadn't I thought of using the other one?

"Right as rain, Remy."

He nodded, but gave Victor an unfriendly look. I walked back up the stairs and toward the two of them. When I came to stop in front them, Remy gave me a smile.

"Wanna see a card trick cher?"

"Is it going to be anything like the other tricks I've seen you do with those cards?"

Now Remy was grinning, and the red part of his eyes shinned for a moment.

"No cher. Gambit ain't gonna show you dat trick again."

"Well then of course I want to see it."

Remy pulled his cards out and began shuffling, tossing, flipping, and sliding them around. I watched amazed. Then he pulled up one card, with it's back to me.

"Dis one for you cher."

I took the offered card and turned it over. My smile grew wider. Remy had given me the Queen of Hearts card.

"Thank you Remy."

Victor let out a growl when Remy took my hand and kissed it again.

"Gambit think he one of the beau's you were talking about cher."

"Him and the big ugly."

Remy put a hand over his heart, and feigned offense.

"Mon cher!"

It made me giggle. I decided I liked this theatrical Cajun.

"Comportez-vous mon ami."

Remy's grin got wider.

"Vous parlez le franais!"

I could tell by the smell rolling off Victor that he was not pleased that he couldn't understand us. And that's when I decided to switch back to English, after one more sentence.

"Je fais. Mais nous devons retourner au fait de parler l'anglais, avant qu'il arrive à furieux."

Remy nodded.

"Gambit is glad to hear you speak his language."

"Thanks Remy. I hope I didn't slaughter it to bad."

"Non, mon cheri. Gambit thinks you sound beautiful."

"Quit calling her your dear."

I looked over to Victor, and he looked furious.

"You should go Remy."

"Gambit ain't gonna leave da beauty alone with da beast."

Victor snarled and took a step forward. I moved between them, and placed a hand on Victor's chest.

"Victor, Remy is a shameless flirt. Don't read any farther into it."

He wasn't listening. His eyes were dark and locked on Remy. I sighed. Remy was no match for Victor. I could feel his body was tense under my hand. I needed to distract him, to avoid bloodshed. I moved my other hand to run up and down along his bare forearm. It caught his attention immediately. His head snapped down to look at me, and I did my best to look wanton. It worked. Victor's lips crashed into mine so hard his teeth cut my lips. They healed before there was anything more than a drop of two of blood. Victor lapped it up greedily. He pulled away, and I took a greedy gasp of air.

"Teasing me isn't nice Roslyn."

"I was trying to distract you."

"I'm distracted."

He had his hands on my waist.

"I don't have time for this right now Victor. I have to get ready to meet Dr. McCoy."

He growled again, and pulled me flush against him.

"I can be quick."

"How romantic."

He gave me a rare grin.

"I could lite a candle or two."

I set my head against his chest and laughed. It was ridiculous. I heard him rumble out a laugh or two, but it was mostly me. I could hear something, something coming from inside his chest. I stopped laughing and listened. It sounded like purring. It was a nice sound, a soothing sound.

I sighed.

"As nice as this is, I really do have to go get ready."

"Alright schatzi."

He kissed the top of my head and let his arms slide away from me. I nodded, and took a step back.

"Dr. McCoy is taking me to meet with Matt Murdock in New York."

I don't know why I was telling him this. What am I talking about, of course I knew why I was telling him. He would be furious if he found out second hand. Now I was scaring myself. Knowing Victor all of three days, if that, and I was already seeing patterns in his behavior.

"I'm going."

I sighed.

"Alright."

His eyebrows went up, and he looked suspicious.

"What. No fight?"

"I think we've given poor Remy enough of a show as it is. And if I fought you, would it do any good?"

"It might be fun. I like to see you riled up."

"You like winning."

"I do."

"Dr. McCoy's not going to like this."

"I don't care what he likes or doesn't like. I'm not letting my mate go to New York without me there for protection."

"What on earth do you think is going to happen to me in New York? Not to mention I'm going with the Mutant Ambassador of the United States. What idiot would attack us?"

"You didn't argue about being my mate."

He was grinning, and I that's when I realized I messed up. I didn't bring up the fact that he said mate, because I had already established it in my mind that I was not anyone's mate. But to him, it was like I accepted the position. I sighed.

"I didn't think I needed to dispute it, because you are aware of my feelings on the subject."

He grinned at me, and it was then that I realized something.

"Victor Creed!"

"Roslyn Hawthorne."

"You've been hiding your intelligence from me. Why?"

He looked from me and then behind me. I forgot about Remy.

"Gambit knows why."

"Victor thinks that the cajun should shut his mouth before he rips his jaw off."

I blanched and looked up at Victor wide-eyed.

"Easy tiger."

He looked back down at me and smiled.

"You know as soon as you leave the immediate area, I'm going to drill him."

Victor looked visibly upset. His top lip curled up and he looked at Remy.

Remy was laughing, deep, attractive rolling booms of laughter.

"What did I miss?"

"Da big ugly thinks you meant we were going to have sex with me."

"Whoa! That's not what I meant at all. Oh, Remy I'm so sorry."

"It's no problem mon cher. Gambit is flattered."

"To flattered, beat it cajun."

"I'm the one that needs to beat it. The sun is up, and I have to be in the hall early."

I pulled away from Victor, and headed inside. I walked briskly to the stairs and then took them two at a time until I reached the third floor. I ran into my room, grabbed my bathroom things and headed down the hall to the common shower rooms. I entered the girls room. I could smell smoke and as I rounded the corner I saw two girls with cigarette's in their hands.

"Well well. If it isn't tweedle dee and tweedle slut."

Jubilee and Kitty both looked up at me with wide eyes.

"You know Jubilee, I never payed you back for the other day."

"You can't! You work with Dr. McCoy! Your supposed to be above that stuff and shit."

"I am above that "Stuff and shit." But that doesn't mean I can't make your life miserable."

"Pssh. She's bluffing. She ain't nothing but a nerd, like Rogue."

This was from Kitty.

"Ah. Yes. The infamous Kitty. I hear your quiet the tom-cat."

She looked at me angrily. I didn't hold back the laugh.

"How are you going to make our lives miserable?"

"Well. I could join every class your in. Ace every assignment and test, forcing the teachers not to offer a curve in the grading. Which we all know you both desperately need. Who knows, I'm rather smart, and more than my fair share of devious. So believe me when I say, I'll come up with something."

They were both staring at me, something akin to fear in their eyes.

"Your a bitch."

"We all have flaws. At least mine isn't that I'm so insecure, so jealous of someone else that I would stoop so low as to take advantage of a flaw in her relationship."

Kitty lowered her eyes, and Jubilee looked around the room for something, anything to stare at to avoid the truths I was providing.

"Rogue has everything. A good boyfriend, good grades, everybody likes her. And what do I have? Nothing! I miss my family, I miss my old friends!"

She was crying now. I hadn't come in here expecting to play therapist, but here I was, doing it anyways.

"Kitty, this is an adjustment for all of us. But you can't bottle these emotions up. You need to speak with someone. Jean is a very smart, very nice woman. She can help you adapt, learn to thrive here."

"What about me? Ever since you came here, Logan won't pay any attention to me. He used to ask me how I was doing, offer to train with me."

Jubilee looked lost.

"I'm sorry you think my presence has interrupted your normal friendship with Logan. Trust me when I say it was not my intention. But if this is really bugging you, then talk to Logan about it."

She sighed.

"Yeah, I will."

"Good. It's not going to be easy, but you have each other to rely on, depend on. Don't loose that."

They both nodded.

"Your not that bad, ya know."

"I try not to be."

"So you think we should go see Jean?"

"I do. She cares for you, and she'll do everything she can to help you work through your issues."

They looked at each other, and nodded.

"Were you going to shower."

"Yeah, I have to leave in a little while, so I'm in a rush."

"Leave? Your leaving?"

I did not expect that from Kitty.

"I'll be back later tonight, or tomorrow."

"I'm kinda glad. Your like, easy to talk to."

"Well I've always got a free ear."

I walked into the nearest stall and turned the water on. I pulled my sweater off, along with everything else. I didn't have time to be shy.

"Whoa."

"What?" I asked as I pulled the curtain shut and stepped under the spray. I was all for helping someone out, but I was becoming pressed for time, so if they needed to talk, they would have to do it on my current schedule.

"You've got a really good body."

"Uh, thanks I guess."

"I'm serious. Like playboy good."

"Victoria's Secret good."

"Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition good."

"OKAY!"

They both stopped to giggle. I shook my head.

"Where are you going?"

"To New York with Dr. McCoy."

"Ooh. Are you going to go shopping?"

"No."

"OMG we should plan a shopping trip there for spring break!"

"That would be awesome."

I ran a hand up my leg to check the hair situation. They were smooth as the day I shaved them. Which was almost four days ago. I didn't think to hard on it. Why look a gift horse in the mouth?

Through the water I smelled cologne. I shook my head.

"Cher?"

"Yes Remy?"

I could hear Kitty and Jubilee gasping and giggling. Their scents were going crazy. They definitely enjoyed looking at Remy.

"De big blue doctor said he was ready when you are."

"Shoot!"

I could hear Remy laughing. I quickly rinsed off, forgoing on the conditioner. I stuck my hand out and made a gimme motion. I felt a fluffy towel land in my hand.

"Thank you."

"Gambit's pleasure cher."

"Your going to get yourself in trouble. Lurking around the woman's shower room."

I heard him laugh, and the girls swoon.

I walked out with the towel wrapped tightly around myself. I quickly packed my things back into the shower bag and headed out.

"See you when you get home Roslyn!"

I didn't say anything back. I just headed out into the hall. Remy followed. I saw a bag hanging on my door.

"What's this?"

"De doctor told Gambit to bring it to you."

"Thanks."

"No problem cher."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Victor leaning against his door, watching us. He looked furious.

"I'd beat it if I were you."

Remy looked up and saw Victor. He let out a groan and took off down the stairs.

"Now Victor, he was just bringing me something from Dr. McCoy."

He was walking towards me.

"While you were in the shower?"

I sighed. This was getting petty, and I was getting angry.

"Your right. We met for a secret rendezvous in the shower stall in front of two other girls. We figured what the heck, and asked them to join in. Then we had a crazy huge orgy."

I scanned my card and went into the room before he reached me. I dried off quickly and took out the clothes Hank had sent me. It was a female suit, black and tailored to fit. The slacks were form fitting, and flared out at the end. They were also to long. Then I noticed the shoes. Ah, tailored to fit in heels. I smiled when I saw the blouse. It was a dress shirt, the same garnet color as my hair. It seemed to be made of silk. Over that I threw on a blazer that fit snugly to me. With damp hair, I quickly added some eyeliner to my top lid, giving myself a much smaller version of the Amy Winehouse cat eye look. Mascara completed the look.

I grabbed the over night bag and pulled the door open. I would worry about my hair on the plane.

Victor was no where to be seen. Ah well. I ran down the stairs, cautious of the heels I was in. Hank was waiting patiently in the hall.

"Ah Roslyn. You look stunning."

"You look rather handsome yourself doctor."

He smiled as we headed down the hallway.

"Had a long night?"

"You have no idea."

"Tell me on the jet."


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for the reviews! I literally finished posting the last chapter and started writing this one. I'm crazy obsessed with this story. Let me know what your thinking, what you want to see more of, or less of. You know the drill. R.R.E. (read, review, enjoy) Oh, and I wanted to mention that I'm mixing the movies, comics, cartoons, etc. Any ?'s and you know where to find me. :)**

"You've been busy."

"It's been...interesting."

"I rather like your hypothesis about the hit and runs."

"It does seem to be gathering some ground."

"I'm afraid I can say little that will make any of it any easier."

I smiled at Hank. We had been on the jet a little over twenty minutes now. And most of that was spent trying to explain everything that had went on the previous night since I left the library.

"I daresay you couldn't have found time to finish reading all the briefs."

"There are twenty four useable hours in every day Dr. McCoy. I daresay I did."

He shook his head and slapped his palm off the armrest.

"You never cease to amaze me Roslyn."

I smiled back at him and fidgeted with my still damp hair.

"Why don't you put that into a braid like last night? Then when we reach New York, your hair should be mostly dry, and it will have the natural wave look."

"Do you have your cosmetology license as well?"

Hank and I both laughed, even as I did as he suggested.

"My dear, you are a delight."

"Thank you."

We sat quietly for a few moments before I said what was really on my mind.

"Dr. McCoy."

"Call me Hank my dear."

"Hank. Do you think it would be possible for me to see him?"

Hank sighed.

"I was wondering when you would bring this up. I see no reason why you shouldn't. I daresay he may even be more open to speaking with you than myself or Matt."

I let out a breath. All this started with one simple goal. Find my father. Now I knew where he was, but everything had become decidedly more complicated then I originally intended.

"I have outlined a schedule for you."

Hank handed me some sheets. It was a rather full calendar.

"Do you think we will be home tonight or tomorrow?"

"I am not sure. Is there a scheduling issue?"

"No. I just want to take the G.E.D test before this schedule starts."

"That is very wise. I will call Charles when we land and see that he sets it up. And you can go when it's convenient."

I looked down to the schedule again. A lot of it involved visiting prisons.

"Do you think Victor really meant what he said about atonement?"

I looked up to see Hank staring at nothing.

"I am not sure. I really don't know him yet."

"I do. The man has a lot to atone for."

"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."

Hank nodded.

"Let us hope so."

I raised an eyebrow. Hank had something to say, but was reluctant.

"Hank, I trust you, and your opinion. So please, speak your mind."

He sighed and turned to look at me.

"I worry about you Roslyn. I see such great potential in you."

"But."

"But I fear these men may hamper you. They may ask you to put aside you ambitions for their own selfish needs and wants."

"The first one to ask me to stop doing something I love, will be the first to know he's out of the running. I will not let anyone, for any reason sway me from what I know is right, and what I want to do."

Hank nodded his head.

"I am glad to hear that Roslyn. Tell me, what are your plans for the future?"

"Short term, I need to get my G.E.D, help you and Mr. Murdock wrap up this case, and then help you implement the Mutant Tolerance Program. Long term, I want to go to law school, maybe start a firm that helps mutants."

Hank was beaming.

"Your an amazing woman Roslyn."

I blushed and shook my head.

"You truly are. What other woman your age has accomplished as much? Has set such high goals, which not only better herself, but her people as well? Your a pioneer for your race, Roslyn. And one day, you will be looked up to."

I blinked away the wetness gathering in my eyes.

"Do you know what I thought the first time I met you?"

Hank shook his head no.

"I saw your expensive suit, heard your cultivated voice, and I thought; I want to be just like him. So everything I accomplish, will only be because I strive to be like you."

Now it was Hank's turn to blink rapidly.

"If I had a daughter Roslyn, I would have wanted her to be just like you."

"Your going to make me cry Hank."

"I apologize."

I nodded, swallowing down my emotions. His praise was something I strove for. Now I had not only his praise, but his admiration. More than I could have ever hoped for.

"Concerning Matt."

I turned to look at him.

"He's blind."

I nodded. Okay. A blind lawyer. Another story of a man who overcame the odds. I was surrounding myself with remarkable people.

"He's also a graduate from Columbia, so he will try and sway you."

I laughed.

"Are you insinuating that your Alma Mater is better?"

"I would never do such a thing."

But his smile said otherwise.

"I am surprised neither Mr. Creed nor Logan insisted on coming."

"Victor did, but maybe he changed his mind."

"I doubt that very much Roslyn."

"Why's that?"

"Victor believes your his mate. He'll follow you around the world, and to the gates of Hell if he has to."

"Where does that kind of obsession come from?"

"I don't think of it as an obsession. He's compelled. Everything in his being is telling him to watch over you, protect you, mate with you."

"So which one is my true mate?"

Hank sighed.

"You know, don't you?"

"I do."

"How?"

"Mate's have a similar base smell. Pheromones if you are well versed in such things. They are unique to each group of mates."

"And you can smell which one it is can't you."

"I can. And I've taken the liberty of running some genetic tests on all three of you."

"How did you get my DNA?"

"Off a bottle of water you were drinking the first day you arrived."

"Did you tell them?"

"They are aware. But I have asked them not to tell you."

"Victor tells me everyday that I'm his mate."

"He said that before the test as well."

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Because I think it should be your choice. And because I'm afraid that if I told you, you might push that person away."

"Your worried I will resent them, and my lack of freedom in deciding my future."

He nodded.

"Alright. I will trust that you know best. But what if I choose wrong?"

"Roslyn, you may be with each man. As long as they don't mark you, your not their mate. And have no cause to stay."

"I'm not sure I like the idea of sleeping with two men. Playing house with two men. It seems, mean."

Hank laughed, but it wasn't harsh.

"Female ferals are much different than males. I wonder if when we get back you would allow me to do some workup's on you."

I thought about it for a moment.

"Non-evasive, if that makes you feel better."

I knew the difference, and what both entailed. The evasive study would provide more answers, but would be awkward.

"I have no problem with you doing a complete study. But I think for proprieties sake, we should have Jean do the more intimate portions."

Hank beamed at me.

"Victor has informed me of the speed of your healing factor. Is it truly instantaneous?"

"I'm not sure. I've never really had an serious damage."

"Mr. Creed stated you were in an altercation with another student, when she hit you in the chest with a fire-property projectile, knocking you down the stairs. He said he smelled your flesh searing, and your ribs snapping as you tumbled down the stairs. Yet when you reached the bottom, you were healed."

I thought back. It was true that I was healed before I hit the bottom.

"I let Rogue borrow my healing factor yesterday."

Hank's eyes went wide.

"My dear, next to Victor, Logan has the fastest healing factor we have seen. And even he was knocked out after one touch from Rogue. How long did she hold on? Where? And what did you feel?"

Hank pulled out a pad of paper and stared at me expectantly.

"She placed both of her hands on my face. She held them there for 20 seconds, maybe 25. I really didn't feel anything. There was a slight itch, which I always associate with my factor."

"So when your healing, all you feel is an itching sensation?"

"No. I feel the initial pain of the injury, but it subsides rapidly."

"How rapidly?"

"Within the first few seconds."

"But you've never tested the extent of you healing factor?"

"I've only ever once deliberately hurt myself, and that was to show my mother."

"What did you do, exactly?"

"I extended a claw and ran it from my wrist to my elbow, splitting the skin open as I went."

"Do you remember that hurting?"

"Very little. My mother ran into the bathroom behind me for a towel, but before she took two steps from me, I was healed completely."

"From the information we've gathered from the few other females we've interviewed, it seems that the female population have faster healing factors. The theory is that because the males are so, violent, the females needed to be able to heal faster, so they could defend themselves."

"I met a mutant in Vegas who told me females were faster, and that their senses were heightened compared to the male counterpart."

"It seems logical. You need to be able to protect yourselves from males, so the heightened senses and faster reflexes would give you an edge over his strength."

I nodded. So maybe this study would conclusively prove and maybe disprove the differences between male and female ferals.

I sighed. I was thinking about too many things at once. The case, my father, Victor, Logan, mates, female feral traits vs male feral traits.

"I'm sorry Roslyn. I didn't mean to overwhelm you."

Sometimes I forgot he had the same set of tools I did.

"What does it feel like, being a male feral?"

Hank looked deep in thought.

"I'm afraid I cannot give you in depth lecture on how their brains work Roslyn. They were born in a different time then me, and lived through many different periods. This influences how they treat woman."

"How old are they?"

"Victor, if he is to be believed, was born sometime in the 1800's. The same is believed of Logan."

"And knowing Victor's penchant for violence, I'm sure he's had his hand in every war, skirmish and bar fight since then."

"I'm sure he has."

"Tell me, in detail, what exactly our bodies can do."

"Sit back Roslyn, and get comfortable. This is a very long lecture."

I did as he suggested.

"First and foremost is your healing factor. It enables you to regenerate damaged or destroyed tissue with incredible speed and efficiency. This factor also renders you almost completely, if not totally immune to disease, poisons, toxins and cancers. It also greatly slows your aging process. You'll probably be in this shape, or better, for the better part of a few centuries. If not forever. You have enhanced senses. Sight, hearing, taste, scent. Victor's range, and his demeanor is more cat like. Where as I believe you are more lupine."

"What draws you to that conclusion?"'

"Your eyes. Like the Arctic wolves, an icy blue. Your hair, perhaps a few shades darker, reminds me of the red timber wolves."

"So you can tell all of these things by looks?"

"No, your genetic code had some markers similar with wolves."

I nodded, letting Hank get back to his lecture.

"Where was I? Ah yes. Your senses. Your sense of taste can detect 1 part foreign matter in 10,000. But that was for the male. Yours is going to be more developed. As for your olfactory senses, this is once again, based off your male counter parts. You can detect a scent with 20 parts per million. I know for a fact that Victor Creed can track a scent over eight hours old. He can also place a scent with a memory from years past."

"So you can't really run from him."

"No. I do not believe that anything Victor Creed hunts will not be found."

I sighed.

"Could I track something the same way?"

"Absolutely."

"He's so large. Are you sure he's not part bear?"

Hank laughed.

"I am sure. Victor Creed is 6'6 and weighs 275 pounds, according to his last physical, which I personally gave him the day before yesterday."

I was way off. I suppose the first day I met him I was in heels, so he seemed less tall. But his weight. He would crush me flat. I weighed 173 pounds. But I was also 5'10, with hips, thighs, butt and boobs.

I gulped at the thought.

"He is rather intimidating."

"What about Logan's stats?"

Hank smiled but obliged.

"Logan is 6'1, 300 pounds in weight."

"WHAT!"

"The adamantium that is coating his bones is the added weight. Otherwise Logan would weigh something between 190 and 200 pounds."

The shear difference was mind boggling. Victor weighed almost 300 pounds and he was just raw muscle, whereas Logan was coated with a metal substance and weighed about the same. Imagine if Victor was metal plated?

"Can we die?"

Hank sat back and looked at me.

"You can. It's not easy, but everything can die. Nothing is truly immortal, just harder to kill."

"How?"

"Well, it is believed that cutting your head from your body may kill you. But I believe they would have to take your head away from the immediate vicinity, because your body is alive for anywhere from a few seconds, to a few minutes. So it is feasible that if your head is placed back on, it will heal."

I was horrified. My head could possibly be reattached after it was cut off?

"Is there any other way?"

"You might be able to drown. Lack of oxygen would cause brain damage, but then again many people are resuscitated after drowning. So you would have to be held under for awhile. Another theory is that if you were totally submerged in liquid nitrogen. Your entire body would freeze, down to the last cell. So you would not be able to heal. But these are just theories. I believe that yourself, Victor and Logan are the three closest to indestructible beings walking this earth."

"What about the other ferals?"

"Not every feral has a healing factor. Some are just blessed with animalistic mutations. There are very few healing factors out there that are natural. Most are engineered."

"Engineered? You mean like mutant testing and experimentation?"

"How do you think Logan had adamantium coated on his bones?"

I thought about that. So he was an experiment. Willing or not, it was crazy. I felt the plane dip and looked out the window.

"I suppose I should get my head into the case."

"Wise words Roslyn. I believe we both should."

~_On the tarmac~_

When the door opened, Hank moved out first, and turned to offer me a hand over the small step out of the plane and onto the stairs. I looked forward and was surprised to see Victor leaning against a sleek black town car. What caught me off guard was the way he was dressed. Victor was wearing an extremely well tailored black suit, and a pair of dark sunglasses. Instead of a white dress shirt, he wore a black one, with the top two buttons undone. It was unnervingly sexy.

As I stepped off the stairs and onto the tarmac, Victor pushed away from the car and walked over to me.

"Very nice Mr. Creed."

Victor nodded at Hank, and reached out and took my bag from me. I raised an eyebrow. But remained silent.

"I will give the directions to your driver, and see you there."

I looked at Hank confused, until I saw a second car waiting. It wasn't as lavish as the one Victor had waiting, but it was nice.

Victor opened the door for me and I slid in. The inside was all black leather and upholstery. Victor slid in next to me. He waved his hand at the driver and then rolled the privacy screen up.

"How on earth did you beat us here?"

All he did was grin.

"This is a beautiful car."

"Roslyn, this is a town car. A taxi."

I shrugged. It was still pretty.

"You've never been in one."

"No."

He let out a soft laugh. And I nudged him.

"Be nice! This is all new to me. I've never even been to New York."

At that I scooted over and stood on my knee's as I looked out of the tinted window. I watched as towering buildings zoomed by.

I felt Victor move closer to me. He placed a hand on my lower back and eased me back. I was about to protest, when he pointed out the window.

"That's the Bloomberg Tower. And that's the Chrysler Building."

I listened as Victor showed me the various buildings and structures. Sooner than I would have liked, we were slowing down.

"We're here Mr. Creed."

Victor slid away from me and got out. I reached over for my over night bag, and my new briefcase.

I had my hand on the door handle when it opened. I almost fell out. Victor's hand came down and helped me out. He was being very gentlemanly. And it was nice, but it put me on edge. He was acting, and that didn't sit well with me. I would rather somebody be themselves, than be what someone thought they should be.

We walked into the building, Victor was holding my things. He still had his sunglasses on, so he looked every bit the part of bodyguard.

He smoothly navigated us to a body of elevators. We waited patiently for one to come down.

"Thank you for showing me the buildings."

Victor nodded his head once. I sighed. He grinned. He was doing it on purpose. I looked around and noticed a man giving me a good, slow once over. I raised my eyebrow at him, and he moved to stand next to me.

"Gerald Landerly."

"Roslyn Hawthorne."

"Are you a partner here?"

"No, I'm."

I didn't get to finish my sentence. Victor put a hand on my shoulder and moved me away from Gerald.

"Beat it."

One look at the claws Victor had and Gerald was gone.

"That wasn't nice."

"You shouldn't talk to strangers."

"Yes Victor."

The doors to the elevator opened up and I stepped inside. I stood in one corner, and Victor moved close to me. As soon as it was partially full, I slipped forward. Because of his size, he couldn't slip through people like I could. Now I was standing in the opposite corner. A tall woman with dark auburn hair entered and stood next to me.

"I love your hair."

"Thank you."

She smiled at me.

"Is it natural?"

"It is."

I watched as her hair slowly changed to match mine. I smiled with delight.

"That was amazing."

"Thank you."

Two floors later and she got off. I sighed. Meeting people was fun. To bad I could feel Victor's eyes boring into the back of my head. I sighed, and at the next floor, I moved back over to stand next to him.

"Are you going to do everything I tell you not to do."

"Of course not."

That made Victor look down at me.

"This is our floor."

I said all the excuse me's and I'm sorry's as we got off the elevator. Victor was more than happy to just barrel through.

I looked down the hall and saw Hank. I smiled and he grinned back. He was holding his arms out like he hadn't seen me in ages. I walked over to him and let him kiss my cheek while he gripped my forearms. He reached up and snagged the tie that was holding my braid in.

"Oh! I completely forgot."

I undid the braid and shook my head, letting my hair fall out naturally.

"Stunning. Alright, let's go and meet Matt."

I nodded my head. Then I turned and noticed Victor wasn't coming.

"Aren't you coming?"

Victor looked at me, but I couldn't see his eyes.

"Do you want me to?"

I blinked a few times. He had never asked me what I wanted before.

"Yes."

Victor set our things down on the chair near the secretaries desk. He pulled his sunglasses off and put them in his jacket somewhere.

"Are we all set?"

I nodded, and Victor remained stoic as he passed me my briefcase.

Hank moved forward and opened a large fogged glass door. I stepped inside, followed by Victor. Large pane glass windows made up the entire far wall. It was so beautiful it took my breath away. I could see the entire city.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

I brought my view back to who I assumed was Matt. He was walking over to us, his white and red cane held out in front of him. He was a handsome man. Reddish-brown hair, cut into a popular style. Masculine jaw, nice lips. On his eyes he wore red tinted sunglasses.

"Matt, this is Roslyn."

"Ah, so your the one Hank can't stop talking about."

He held out his hand and I gently grasped it.

"And his is Victor."

"Not Creed."

"The one and only."

Victor smiled as he moved forward and took Matt's hand. Matt looked uneasy after the handshake but said nothing. He motioned for us to take a seat, and then asked if he and Hank could talk in private.

I sat down in a chair near the head of the table, while Victor took a seat in a chair along the wall.

"What's wrong?"

Victor remained silent. I got up and took a seat next to him. He didn't even look at me.

"How do you know the cajun?"

I crinkled my brow.

"I met him this morning when I was out in the backyard."

Victor let out a breath.

"Your jealous of Remy?"

I giggled and then laughed. Victor didn't look happy, so I explained.

"Remy is a handsome devil, but I am not into men thinner than me."

Victor's hands launched out and pulled me onto his lap. I blushed the color of a tomato, and tried to get free.

"Victor, we are in public! What if Mr. Murdock walks in? Or Hank?"

Victor ignored me and nuzzled my neck.

"So you like muscles huh."

I felt him flex as my arm grasped his bicep for support.

"Victor Creed. You already know I find you attractive. So stop worrying about skinny little flirts like Remy. And get your mind in the case."

Instead, Victor's strong, large hands turned me around so I was facing him. He wound one of his hands into my hair and pulled my head back, revealing my neck. Before I could protest I felt his tongue start at the base of my neck in the hollow, and travel up until he met my chin. Then he guided my head down and devoured my lips. I moaned as his tongue darted around my mouth, reclaiming it. Victor let go of my hair, and placed his hands on my hips. He ground into me, and I gasped. This was not the place, nor the time. I did not want to have to sit through the meeting with soaked underwear.

"Stop. Please."

Only it came out as a moan instead of a command. Surprisingly, Victor listened. I was breathing hard, but he didn't seem that worked up. Maybe I wasn't that attractive to him. The thought didn't sit well with me. So I asked him.

"Why am I the only one here breathing hard."

I heard Victor chuckle, and watched as his eyes lit up.

"Because schatzi, I have more control then you do."

"Oh, I thought it was because I'm not that attractive, or very good at this."

I looked away now. I didn't want to meet his eyes. He growled suddenly and I felt myself lifted from his lap and swung into the wall. Victor lifted my legs up and wrapped them around his waist. I heard him kick the chair away. And suddenly he was against me. All of him. He ground his pelvis into mine and I gasped out.

"I'll teach you, and if it weren't for the fact that I'm a possessive bastard and don't want anyone seeing you like this, I would shred your clothes and show you how attractive I think you are."

I stared at him wide eyed. When I opened my mouth to speak, Victor licked my bottom lip and then took it into his mouth and sucked it.

"Victor."

He growled deep in his throat.

"You know your mine Roslyn."

"Did Hank say you were my mate?"

Victor stopped what he was doing and looked into my eyes.

"What if I said no."

"Then I would say he was wrong."

Victor's eyes lit up and his lips crashed into mine again. Victor was mine. I knew it from the first time we had contact. His looks, his smell, his cocky attitude. I cared about Logan, but not the same way I cared for Victor. Logan had made my heart weep with the words he spoke to me, but that was all. Anyone can say fluffy, beautiful things. At the time it seemed genuine, but now that I look back, it seemed desperate.

"Hank said you were my mate didn't he."

"He did."

"When, specific time please."

"Last night after supper."

"That's why he said those things to me. He knew I wasn't meant for him."

"What did he say?"

Victor's happy mood was replaced by a sour one.

"Stupid, fluffy love stuff. Right before you walked in."

"Roslyn..."

"He said he wanted to wake up everyday and see me, and he worried about me all the time. Stuff like that."

Victor snarled and tightened his grip on me.

"Hey, don't rip this suit! It's the only one I've got."

"I'll buy you more."

"That's nice and all, but if you rip the one I'm currently wearing, then I'll be flashing the world a little more of me than I'm really comfortable with."

Victor threw his head back and laughed. Just then we both heard the footsteps approaching. I tried to back away from Victor, but he held me in place. He knelt his head down and nuzzled next to my ear. I smiled. He was right. He is a possessive bastard.

Hank opened the door and when he saw us, gave me a small smile and nod of his head. Victor pulled away slowly, planting a quick kiss on my forehead.

"We're going to have to reschedule. Something has happened at the mansion."

My whole body tensed up and Victor pulled me closer. For the first time in a long time I felt the chill of fear creep up my spine.


	15. Chapter 15

** Thanks to everyone for the reviews. Again. I love hearing what your thoughts on what you think should happen, and about what's going on.**

"What's happened?"

I had to jog to keep up with the fast pace of Hank. Victor kept a hand on my elbow as we walked back down the hall toward the elevators.

"Charles was not specific. He just said we were needed back immediately."

I made a frustrated noise.

"I don't like not knowing what we are walking into."

"I am not a fan of it either Roslyn."

Hank gave me a very fatherly look. I couldn't help but smile at him.

The elevator opened up and we stepped inside. Hank hit the the lobby button. I was practically dancing in my place. Adrenaline was coursing through my veins, and I had no idea how to handle it. Victor removed his hand from my elbow and placed it at the small of my back, under both my jacket and shirt. His thumb was gently stroking up and down my spine.

I felt myself relaxing under his touch.

"I hope no one is hurt."

"Charles would have said as much."

I grew tired of not knowing. I reached into Hank's jacket pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Hank startled at the touch, but when he saw what I had, he only grinned.

"Patience is a virtue, Roslyn."

"Well it shouldn't be."

I brought up the contacts until I saw Charles's number. I hit the green button and listened as it rang.

"Hello Roslyn."

"What's going on?"

I heard him sigh.

"Logan is out of control."

Hank hit the emergency stop on the elevator.

"Give the phone to me Roslyn."

I handed it over without a word of protest.

I listened in as they spoke.

"You want us to return because Logan isn't taking the news of Roslyn's rejection well?"

_"I cannot calm him. He is a danger to everyone in this school."_

"Put him downstairs Charles! This is incredibly important."

_"He is downstairs Hank. But I'm afraid with his adamantium skeleton he will be through the bars in a matter of minutes."_

I looked over to Victor with wide eyes. Logan was locked up in a cage? What the hell was going on?

"Why is he in a cage?"

Victor shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know either. How did Logan hear that I picked Victor? I didn't even really know until only a few minutes ago. Then it dawned on me. Hank told them yesterday night who was my true mate. He had to know that I would choose Victor. So why the freak out now?

Hank hung up and turned to me.

"Charles needs help, but I need to be here."

I nodded.

"I'll go, you stay."

"I don't think it's wise Roslyn."

"Probably not. But what's to be done? It's the only responsible thing to do in this situation."

"That's my girl."

I smiled at Hank. He was fast becoming a father figure in my life.

"I had intended on giving this to you when we got home, but since our plans have changed. I will have to adapt. This is the key to my office. I set up a small space in their for you. I will email you updates on what is going on. And perhaps if there is time, we can video conference."

I nodded my head.

"As soon as I get this Logan mess sorted out, I will head down there. At least one good thing will come out of today."

"What's that my dear, finding your mate?"

"Oh. Well then two good things has come out of today. My mate, and hopefully I will be able to squeeze in the G.E.D test later."

"Always thinking ahead. Your an opportunistic one, Roslyn."

"I try."

"That you do. I will ride with you to the lobby, but then I must leave you."

I nodded. I was disappointed that I didn't get to go back to the meeting with Hank, but Logan was my friend, and he needed help.

The rest of the ride down was quiet. When the door pinged open, I moved to step out when Hank put a hand on my shoulder. I stopped and looked back at him.

"Be careful Roslyn."

I nodded my head. Then I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. I felt his fur tickle my nose and lips and smiled wider.

"I'm holding you personally responsible for her safety."

Victor nodded, and then placed an arm around my waist and began to steer me out of the elevator.

"Oh! I almost forgot."

Hank tossed something at me. When I looked down, I was holding a new phone. I looked at Hank confused.

"Logan said your old phone ran into a bit of bad luck, so I got you a new one. I have to be able to get a hold of my assistant."

I smiled at Hank, and he smiled back. I watched until the doors closed again.

"I can't believe it. Hank got me a new phone. And not just any phone, an HTC Inspire."

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't have a phone?"

"It didn't cross my mind."

"What happened to your old one?"

"Logan threw it out the window when you kept calling me."

Victor snarled.

I turned it on and laughed. The background picture was a snapshot of me and Rogue in my car. I had my aviators on and Rogue was wearing her big movie star ones. It looked like it was taken as we were passing under the gate of Xavier's mansion.

Victor turned the screen and snorted.

"Hey! It's a good shot of me and Rogue. I'm keeping it."

I had just finished the sentence when I got a text. I opened it and smiled. It was from Rogue.

_"SOS, Logan's lost his damn mind! Hope you like the new phone, I picked it out. :) Miss you. R."_

"Who's that from?"

"Rogue."

He snorted again.

"Hey, I know you two have bad blood, but your going to have to get over it. She's a good friend of mine."

"You just met her."

"The day we pulled up and you were out there, I told her to go inside. She wouldn't. Even though she was afraid of you, she wouldn't leave me."

Victor seemed to think on that.

"And if she was willing to stand up to you, for me, then I say she's a good friend."

"Or a dumb one."

"It's a very fine line."

I began to type a reply to Rogue.

_"SOS received. On the way w/ Victor. Good job on the phone. Stay safe. R."_

I had no sooner put the phone in my pocket before it went off again.

_"Da big ugly sure upset cher. What you do, give him blue balls?"_

Now I was laughing hard. I don't know how Remy got my number, but I really didn't care. Victor opened the car door and I got in. Then I showed Victor the text. He didn't look to happy about Remy and myself talking, but the message made him smile."  
><em>"Heard Vic is your mate. I want details. NOW."<em>

I missed Rogue already.

_"I will tell you everything when I get their. Vic is giving my phone some dangerous looks. I don't want it to go the way of my iphone."_

_ "K."_

_ "No Remy, I did not give him blue balls. Unless he shut himself in a door or something thinking about me. I will ttyl."_

_ "Gambit miss you cher. Hurry home."_

I quickly deleted all my texts, cursing Remy's charming nature. Victor would not take kindly to his flirtatious text messages.

We got out of the car on the tarmac and hurried up the stairs and into the jet. I was just taking a seat when I noticed the bags. I saw Gucci, Valentino, D&G and countless others. I looked at Victor and he looked just as confused as I was.

The stewardess came up and handed me a note. I smiled and thanked her. She reminded us to put our seat belts on until we were in the air.

I opened the note and read it quickly.

_ Roslyn,_

_ To play the part, you must also look it._

_ Hank_

I jumped up from my seat and ripped into the bags. Hank had bought me beautiful blouses like the one I was wearing, in various shades. Dress slacks, pencil skirts, and jaw dropping jewelry to match.

Victor growled.

"What?"

"It's MY job to make you smile like that."

"You do."

He shook his head and looked away. I put the things back and walked over to him. I plopped down into his lap. It startled him, and that made me grin. I got the jump on the notorious Victor Creed.

"What's really bothering you?"

He put a large hand on my thigh and began stroking it. I raised a questioning eyebrow at him.

"I'm not balls deep in my mate right now."

"Your a real charmer Victor Creed."

I went to stand up, but he wouldn't let me. Her grabbed my hand and held it over the large lump in his pants.

"Feel that?"

"I do."

"It's all for you baby."

Victor's eyes were dark as he scanned my figure. I sighed, knowing I really couldn't say no to him. I could feel his need, and my body was responding. I was about to protest, time and place, after all. But that was before Victor slid one of his hands down the front of my pants and into my underwear. With my back against his chest, I arched up when his large finger found my nub. He began rubbing it gently.

"Scream for me."

His mouth was wet against my ear, and I felt heat pouring between my legs. When I didn't say anything, or scream anything, he applied more pressure. I let out a low moan. Victor licked my ear and I felt myself get hotter.

"I forgot, you like tongue."

The thought made my heart race even faster. Victor's hand left my pants, and I groaned at the loss. He stood, standing me up and guiding me over to the couch. My knees were jello like, so I moved like a drunk person. Victor found it amusing.

"Just wait, you won't be able to walk when I'm done with you."

The prospect thrilled and terrified me. He laid me down on my back, and climbed on top of me. With on leg on each side, he sat on his knees and took off his jacket, and then began slowly unbuttoning his dress shirt. I watched, with growing impatience. I wanted to feel his skin against me now. I sat up, grabbed his shirt and ripped. The buttons zinged everywhere.

Victor laughed, and it made my skin break out in goose bumps. It was rough and deep. Masculine and full of dark promises.

Victor captured my lips in his, and I kissed him back with matched ferocity. If he was shocked, he didn't show it. I pulled my hands away from his face to remove my blazer, and then quickly unbutton my blouse.

Victor busied himself with my pants. He was patient, unhurried. It was driving me crazy, and he knew it.

I hadn't realized they were off until I felt his hot mouth trailing over my knee. My breath hitched and caught in my throat. Looking down the length of my body, and seeing his face between my legs caused a shift in me.

"Stop teasing and take me."

Victor grinned victoriously. With one tug my underwear ripped from my body and Victor pushed his face where I wanted it most. I let out a scream of pleasure as his tongue lapped at my slit. He sucked, and nipped and greedily worried on me. I was panting, one hand gripping the short hair on his head and the other holding onto the couch. I came, once, twice, three times before he came up for air.

His mouth and chin were slick with my pleasure. His eyes roamed over my form and came to rest on my only remaining piece of clothing. My bra. He slid a finger between my breasts where the fabric came together and sliced it open, my breasts pouncing free. He rubbed his face in the valley, cupping my chest around his head.

"Roslyn."

My name rolled off his tongue like an aphrodisiac.

"On your knees baby."

He used his hands to help me turn over. The couch was narrow, so Victor had to put one leg on the floor and keep the other bent up by me. I heard him unzip his pants and I shuttered.

I felt his hand run up and down my slit a few times, stopping to play with my overly sensitive clit. I moaned out again. He slipped a finger inside me and I gasped. He pumped that finger in and out of me slowly. With a growl, I rocked back, trying to increase his depth and speed.

"Brace yourself sweetheart, I'm a little big."

He didn't enter me slowly. There was no gentle prod, no pre-stretching. He rammed into me so hard I slid forward on the couch, and he had to bring me back. I didn't feel pleasure, not right away. I felt a sting in my eyes, but blinked it away.

"I know it hurts. Just relax."

I tried to do what he told me to. But with every thrust, I felt like I was being torn open.

He thrust again, but instead of pulling out, he stayed. I felt him snake a hand between us and rub my clit again. The heat came back, but it was different this time. More intense. Victor slowly pulled out and came back in. He rolled his hips and I let out a moan.

"Do that again."

I heard him chuckle, but he did as I asked. He was churning inside of me, and the feeling was pure ecstasy. But soon it was to slow.

"Harder."

"Thought you would never ask."

I felt him shift his weight, so his stomach was now on my back, and my face was on the couch. I could feel his mouth near my ear.

"Ready?"

"Fuck me."

He did. Victor's hips pistoned into me, I barley had time to register when he was in and when he was out. I screamed out wordless pleasure, sometimes making coherent phrases and words as he slammed into me over and over again. I could hear his sack slapping me, feel his chest hair on my back, hear his heavy breathing in my ear.

I turned my head up and captured his lips. Victor flipped me around quickly, so I was on my back again. He threw my legs over his muscular shoulders and forced himself in all the way. I let my head fall back as his name fell off my lips by the dozens.

I was climbing, this time it was higher than anything I had ever felt before. I felt Victor drop my legs to his waist. He crashed down on top of me, still thrusting, as his mouth connected with mine again. I was so close, and by the way he was moaning and growling, I would have guessed he was to.

He pulled away from my mouth and buried his face in the crook of my neck. I felt his fangs sink into the meaty flesh and let out a roar. Victor's thrusting went wild, like he wanted to tear straight through me. He detached his mouth from my wound and kissed me, my blood staining his lips as he did so.

His mouth left mine as he reached an arm out above us and grabbed the arm of the sofa. With my face buried in his chest, he used the arm as leverage for his thrusts. My orgasm crashed through me, as I thrashed under him. I ran my claws down his back and sank my teeth into his chest as wave after wave of pleasure slammed into me. Somewhere above me, Victor roared, his body spasming. And then he collapsed on top of me.

We stayed this way, until the voice of the stewardess came over the intercom telling us we were twenty minutes away from beginning preparations for landing, and that we should buckle out seat belts.

I laughed, but then stopped when I looked up at his chest. It was covered in blood.

"Oh my god, are you alright?"

Victor grunted and then sat up. I felt him drag out of me, and it gave me a strange, internal tickle.

He got up off the couch, and pulled his pants up. That's when I noticed he didn't wear underwear. I watched as he tucked himself inside and zipped up his pants.

Only then did he look down at his chest. There blood smeared everywhere. Thank heavens he healed.

"We need to clean up."

Victor nodded and then pointed towards the back of the plane, where a tiny restroom sat. I shifted and then stopped. Pain. It wracked through me. Why hadn't I healed?

"I'm going to need help getting there. I don't think I can stand on my own."

Victor looked smug. He was so proud of himself.

He came over and gathered me into his arms.

"Why haven't I healed."

"Sweetheart, at one point I cracked you pelvis. It's gonna take a minute."

I felt the itch even as he spoke. Once in the tiny bathroom, Victor set me down on the toilet.

"I'll go get your clothes."

He was still grinning. I shook my head and looked at myself in the mirror. I gasped.

Blood covered the bottom portion of my face, and spilled down my neck and to where Victor had bit me. I kept my gaze moving lower and saw the blood streaks between my legs. I wasn't sure how to address this. Part of me was horrified, and the other part was smug, satisfied.

Victor opened the door as I was scrubbing my face. He let out a low growl and came to stand directly behind me.

I erected myself and looked at him in the mirror.

"You can't be serious. I've only just finished cleaning myself off."

But he was. I could feel his erection as he pressed into me from behind.

"I'm always ready."

And with that he closed the door, picked me up, and wrapped my legs around his waist and slipped into me. I gasped, loving how he filled me.

It was fast, and not nearly as rough as our fist coupling.

I was straightening my shirt, trying to make it look decent. But that really didn't work when you had D cups and no bra.

"Can you tell I'm not wearing a bra?"

Victor stared at my chest.

"Yes."

"Shit."

He just grinned.

"What the hell is that?"

I was standing in front the mirror, the bathroom room door wide open. Victor got up and came to lean against the frame.

I was pointing to the knew and only scar on my body. It was where he bit me.

"I got one to."

I turned around to look. Victor lifted up his t-shirt and pointed to the scar above his heart.

"That's what you get for biting me."

He shook his head and walked back out into the body of the plane.

_"Please take your seats. We will begin our decent momentarily."_

I rushed back and flopped into a seat. I started wrestling with my seat belt when I heard him chucking.

"What?"

"Your putting your seat belt on?"

"Yeah, you should to."

That made him laugh.

I shook my head and fastened the little bastard into place with a resounding 'click'. He could laugh all he wants, be it would be me who got to say I told you so later.


	16. Chapter 16

** Thanks for the reviews everyone! This one is a shorty, because I have to work in an hour and wanted to get something in before then. Look for a longer one tomorrow.**

I wasn't nervous until we pulled up to the gates of the mansion. Then it hit me full force.

"What are we going to do?"

Victor said nothing. He had been giving me the silent treatment since we landed. I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth in annoyance. As if I didn't have enough on my plate as it was. Now I had to try and figure out what he was mad about.

The car stopped and I got out before he was even unbuckled. Rogue came running down the steps and pulled me into a fierce hug.

"Thank God your here. Logan's in your room."

"What's he doing in my room?"

"No clue. Me and Remy were trying to spy, but he caught our scent in the hall and chased us away. He don't want anybody near him right now."

I walked inside with her, leaving Victor to do whatever the hell he did. I didn't have time to play games with him right now.

I took the steps two at a time. Rogue stopped halfway up the third set of stairs.

"Remy's up there. Be careful Roslyn."

"I will."

I turned around the corner, and Remy looked up.

"Mon cheri! Welcome home. Gambit sure glad you here."

He ran a hand through his chin length locks and smiled at me.

"Wish I could say I was back under better circumstances."

Remy looked like he was going to respond when the door to my room flew open. Logan was standing there, wearing nothing but a pair jeans.

"Roslyn."

His voice was deep, strained.

"Hey Logan."

"It should be me."

He said it so quietly I almost didn't hear it.

"Wh..."

"IT SHOULD BE ME!"

His voice echoed off the walls. I could see the perspiration collecting on his brow, and his chest heaving up and down.

"Logan, I know your upset. I didn't do it to hurt you. That's the last thing I want. It's not a choice Logan, no matter what anyone says. He's the one. I didn't choose."

It felt like his eyes were boring through me. I had to take control of this situation, and quickly.

"Why are you in my room."

"I missed you. Your scent is in here."

I shook my head. I needed a distraction, something to take his mind off mating and me.

"I need to take my G.E.D test today."

It seemed to throw him. He needed to think about what I said. Which made him loose some of that anger, some of his beast.

"Nervous?"

I smiled. Logan was back.

"A little."

He nodded and stepped out of my room. Remy visibly relaxed.

"Gambit welcome you back big ugly."

"Can it cajun."

I smiled. There was a story there that needed to be told.

"I ain't happy about this Rose. But if it's what you want."

He looked so sad, so forlorn. It pulled at my heart strings. I pulled him into a hug. Logan snaked his arms around me and held me.

"Rose."

"I know Logan. I know."

He kissed the side of my face and let me go. Why couldn't Victor act like this? Like he cares about me, as a person, instead of an object of sex and desire? I shook my head of the thoughts.

"Where is the ass?"

"Victor? Not sure."

Logan lifted an eyebrow at me, and grinned.

"I'm not his keeper. Now go put some clothes on, your going to give a girl a heart attack."

He grinned at me again and walked off towards his room. I let out a breath and sagged against the wall.

"You okay cher?"

"I never want to do that again."

Remy nodded, seemingly understanding. He probably did, the heart breaker that he was.

"Gambit thinks you need to talk cher."

"I do, but I don't have time right now. I need to shower, get to Charles, take my test, get down to Hank's office and get downloaded with what's going on in New York."  
>"Where does the beau come in?"<p>

"No clue, Remy."

He nodded. I went into my room and Remy followed. Soon I could smell Rogue too. I grabbed some clothes, my shower tote and headed back down the hall. They followed. I pulled my shirt off, along with my pants and turned the water on. I think poor Remy got a show, but at this exact point in time, I didn't give a shit. I still had patches of blood and lord knows what else on me.

"Talk cher."

I sighed under the water.

"This is all to much."

"What's to much?"

This was from Rogue. Apparently they were both in here to be my therapists.

"Everything. The case, my dad, the F.O.H, mutant rights, congressional meetings. Victor. How the hell am I supposed to do this?"

They were silent.

"Sorry. I just needed to get that out."

"Okay cher. What are friends for?"

"Yeah Roslyn. It's called venting. We all do it."

I nodded, knowing they couldn't see it.

"Thanks guys."

"What the hell are you doing in here?"

Victor's voice cut through the air, making my heart beat increase. I could smell his anger. I stuck my head out of the shower stall and looked at Remy. He looked ashen.

"Remy was offering a friendly ear."

He turned those angry gray eyes on me. I saw him elongate his claws.

"If you hurt him, I won't let you join me in here."

His head snapped back to me. I grinned at him. I heard Rogue giggle.

"Roslyn!"

"I know, I'm terrible."

"We need to go now Rogue."

Remy had grabbed Rogue by the arm and headed to the door. Victor moved out of the way.

I laughed. The power of vagina. Victor ripped the curtain back and stared. I went about my business as if he weren't there.

He growled, grabbed my upper arm and spun me around. He was still fully dressed. I watched as the water turned his white t-shirt see through. I raised an eyebrow at him.

"How'd you get the runt to calm down?"

I didn't like what he was implying. I laughed bitterly.

"You think I gave him a quick romp and then jumped in the shower to hide my indiscretions?"

"Did you?"

"Get out."

I was angry. I turned away from him, and he forced me to turn back.

"No."

"Then I'll leave."

I pushed him as hard as I could, sending him flying through the shower curtain and into the sinks. I wrapped a towel around myself and walked out.

I was at my door when he caught up to me.

"Now your going to get it."

"Get what exactly? Are you going to beat me? Rape me?"

He seemed thrown off.

"I'm not a fool. I know perfectly well what your capable of. But you don't know a damn thing about me. And if you think that I'd give myself to a man for the first time, and then turn around..."

I was almost crying. I shook my head and went into my room. Logan's scent was fading, I doubt Victor would be able to smell it. I could just barely pick it out.

"Roslyn..."

"I don't want to talk right now."

"I don't give a damn. Your going to."

I shook my head.

"What do you want me to say? That I didn't have sex with Logan. That I think your a jealous, insecure, mean brute. And I'm stuck with you."

I dropped the towel and grabbed for my underwear. I slipped them on and then hooked my bra. I wasn't going anywhere special, so I pulled on a sweater and yoga pants. I looked back to see him looking away, deep in thought. I supposed this was our first fight. Probably the first among many. I didn't want to leave the room with this hanging over me. My mom used to tell me that no matter how angry or hurt I was, I could never leave on a bad word. What if I never saw that person again? Would I be able to live with myself?

I walked over to him and gently kissed his cheek.

"I'm sorry. That was mean of me."

He seemed taken aback, and I smiled sadly at him.

"I'm going to take my test with Charles, and then head down to Hank's office."

He remained motionless. I started to walk away, when he pulled me back and kissed me. His big hands encased my face.

"I'll find you."

As I walked away he swatted me on the butt. I shook my head and laughed. He couldn't have a legitimate tender moment, even with me. He was like a warrior, always on guard, never trusting anyone. True I didn't know him very well, but I have never betrayed a confidence. And I never would. It's just not me.

I would worry about cracking the case that was Victor later. Right now I had I to gear up for a test.


	17. Chapter 17

** Sorry about the wait. But if I posted it in the time frame I stated, then it wouldn't be as well rounded as if I just kept going. Let me know what everyone is thinking, and as always R.R.E.**

I flew through the test. Ever think something was to easy, and then spent the rest of the time worrying that you bombed? That's how I felt. I was thinking on it as I headed to the main floor. When I reached the foyer, I realized I had no idea where Hank's office was. I didn't want to go back up and bother Charles, as he was grading my test. I sighed and headed toward the kitchen, there was bound to be someone in there.

I was correct. Sitting around the island was Rogue, Kitty, Jubilee, Bobby, and a very muscular older boy I had never met before. I felt a pang of sorrow, and a little jealously. I put it aside quickly. I was happy they were all getting along. Everyone needed someone. I left before I was discovered.

"Ya think I didn't notice ya?"

I smiled as Rogue's voice hit me. She was mad.

"I didn't want to intrude."

"Roslyn, I outta smack you upside your head."

I pulled a face.

"You can't alienate yourself. And besides, your the reason we're all talking again."

"I'm glad to see your working it out, but I really only came down to see if anyone knows where Hank's lab is."

Rogue shook her head and then motioned for me to follow her. I knew what she was saying, about alienation, but I didn't see another way at the moment. I had so much to do, so many obligations, and not enough damn time.

Rogue stopped at a blank, wooden wall. I gave her a questioning look, and she reached out a hand and pushed on it. An elevator opened.

"We're not supposed to go down here unless there's an emergency or danger room session. Hank's office is right next to the lab, on the right. You can't miss it."

I nodded and stepped into the elevator.

"Roslyn, think about what I said. Your still a kid, so let go sometime and have some fun."

The doors slid shut.

Have some fun. What would I do for fun now? I used to go watch a movie, hang out with friends, shop at the mall. I'm not sure I would even enjoy that anymore. I guess I would never know unless I tried it. I shrugged my shoulders. Maybe when the case was over, I would ask Rogue to show me what she does for fun.

The door's opened with barley a whisper. It was cold down here, even with my sweater on, I could feel the cool from the earth permeate my skin.

I looked both ways, seeing a large round door to my left, I decided that that wasn't the right way. I headed down to the right. Halfway down I saw the door clearly marked as Hank's. I scanned my key card, and the door swooshed open. It was really very sci-fi, and slightly creepy.

I sighed in relief when I saw the office. Nothing sci-fi here. Hank's office was warm, if not slightly masculine. He had a large, gleaming mahogany desk, and large leather chair. Book shelves filled to the brim lined most of the walls. Any available free space was taken up with degree's, doctorates, awards and pictures of Hank and various important people. I looked over in the corner and saw what had to be my desk. My 'little area' as quoted by Hank, was anything but. My desk was almost the same size as his, looking smaller because it had more on it. I shook my head smiling. There was an unopened desktop computer, a printer, a laptop, and various office supplies. I walked over, still shaking my head. I picked up the note, written on special stationary with his initials at the top.

_ Roslyn,_

_ I am sorry I did not have the time to set these things up for you. Please make yourself welcome, as this is your office as well as mine. I will see you when I get home from New York._

_ -Hank_

I smiled. He must have written the note before we left for New York, thinking that I would stay. I shook my head. I looked a the boxes and sighed. I had some work ahead of me, setting these things up, so I had better get to it.

_An hour and a half later_

"Ugh! I already checked the network connections you piece of shit!"

I had spent the better part of half an hour trying to get my desktop to connect with the router Hank had provided. But the useless thing was giving me shit. Dejected and angry I headed off to find someone to help me.

Everything else went fine. I assembled the desktop, connected it to the printer, loaded the different disks Hank had left me. Most were anti-spy ware, malware protection and such. But a few of the others I had never seen before. Hank would have to explain them to me when he got home.

I was waiting for the elevator when I felt a chill run through me. I looked up and down the hallway. Nothing. I couldn't see it, hear, or smell it. But I could feel it, whatever it was. And it was watching me. I felt my body tense up. I hadn't felt such irrational fear since I was a child, afraid of the boogeyman.

And that's what it felt like. Fear you couldn't explain, but the primal, gut instinct that something was not right, and that there definitely WAS something hiding in the dark.

I pushed the elevator button again and again. I heard a soft ding and pushed my way into the elevator before the doors were fully open. I hit the close button over and over again, willing it to shut quickly. Only when the doors closed did I relax some.

I sagged against the wall opposite of the doors. I was not an irrational person, and I wasn't one to get frightened very easily. But whatever just happened, scared the shit out of me.

The doors opened and I ran out, heading for the stairs and to find Charles. He needed to know something was here, in the school. I passed Victor on the stairs, but kept going. I know he could smell my fear, I stank of it. I heard him turn and follow me. I ran to the Professor's door and crashed through it without knocking.

"Roslyn, are you alri..."

He stopped talking and started looking. I brought up every memory of the time in the hallway, every sense I used, everything. He closed his eyes. He saw and felt it all through me. I felt Victor pull me to his side. I turned and buried my face into his chest. He smelled good, safe.

"What happened?"

Victor was looking at me. He looked angry, ready to fight.

"I don't know. I couldn't see it."

"Are you hurt? Did it touch you?"

I shook my head.

"No, it didn't. But it wanted to. I could feel it, Victor. I couldn't see it, hear it or smell it. But I could feel it down there."

Victor pulled me a little tighter to him.

"What the hell you got down there Chuck?"

"Nothing invited, Mr. Creed."

Charles wheeled around the desk as I heard the sound of footfalls, and labored breathing. He called the rest of them.

Logan looked at me, and then at Victor.

"You alright kid?"

I nodded my head at him.

"What is going on Professor?"

"There is someone downstairs that should not be."

"The camera's haven't picked up on anything."

"He cannot be seen or heard unless he wants to."

"What is he doing here?"

"I am not sure. A brief glimpse into his mind showed me he had a keen interest in Roslyn. He found her...interesting."

I made a face. So there was a thing downstairs, a he thing, that targeted me because I was interesting? Well, there goes my day.

"Roslyn what were you doing in Hank's office before you left?"

I let go of Victor. I didn't want to look like a little lost girl as I spoke to them.

"I was setting up office equipment."

"Specifically?"

"I was trying to connect the desktop to the router."

"How was that going?"

My eyebrows came together in confusion. Why was the professor asking all these questions?

"I was having some issues. That's why I left the office, I was on my way up to see if someone could help me."

Charles nodded, and so did Jean. They knew something I didn't.

"Were you angry?"

"Flustered. Why are you asking me all of these questions? What do they have to do with whatever I felt in the hallway?"

"I am asking because I believe he only became truly interested in you when you noticed him."

"You think he was watching her the whole time she was down there?"

This was from Scott.

"I have known for some time that we were not alone down there but with Roslyn's heightened senses, I believe she is the only one to have picked up on him. And he wants to know why."

"What is it, a ghost?"

Everyone laughed at me. Everyone except Charles, Jean and Victor.

"Closer than you can imagine my dear. I believe it is someone's conscious mind, lost."

"A soul?"

I barley whispered it. I had felt a soul?

"Some call it that yes."

"Professor you can't be serious."

"But I am Scott. Jean and myself have been doing research into the conscience mind."

"You mean you've been looking into parapsychology."

"Call it what you will Scott. But the conscience mind is very real. And when a healthy mind is minus a body, it becomes displaced."

I stepped back until I was touching Victor. The idea that there was a person down there, moving about unseen, unheard, unnerved me. What a horrible existence.

"Can it hurt us?"

Charles turned to look at me. Besides Jean, I seemed to be the only other one taking this seriously. I was not one to shun something because it lacked logic, or testable footing. I believed that anything was possible. And I definitely believed in ghosts.

"If it can manifest enough energy."

I nodded my head.

"Who is it?"

Charles smiled sadly.

"We may never know Roslyn."

I nodded my head. No wonder I freaked. I just had my very own close encounter. Now I knew how everyone else felt. Few believed in them, while the others looked at them like they were crazy. Even the Professor, who was respected by everyone, took flak for it.

"So your saying there's a ghost in the basement?"

Logan was shaking his head and smiling.

"Yes Logan."

Charles excused us all. I walked slowly out of the office, digesting what I had just learned.

"You ain't buying into that crap are ya Rose?"

Logan was grinning as he said it.

"You weren't there. You didn't feel it."

He shook his head.

"Probably just got a whiff of some of the chemicals, mushed yer brain up fer a bit."

"Leave her be or I'm going to mush your brain up."

Victor came to stand behind me. Logan glared at him and then walked away.

"Thank you for not making fun of me."

I turned to look at him. He was looking down at me.

"I may not have ever seen a ghost, but I smelled you when you were running. You were scared, and you can't fake that."

I smiled. He might as well have said he believed me. If I ever had doubts about my choice in a mate, there were rapidly fading. Logan laughed at me, teased me. Victor didn't.

"Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"Out."

"In this?"

Victor gave me a quick up and down. Yoga pants and a sweater were not clothes to go out in. He smiled.

"Alright, let's go change."

"Let's, as in we?"

Victor grinned again we walked toward the stairs. He kept giving me sideways glances as we walked. It definitely took my mind off the incident downstairs. I just reached my door when I felt his arms encircle my waist.

"This isn't your room anymore."

Confusion bloomed. Why wasn't this my room?

Victor turned me around and steered me farther down the hall. We stopped in front of what I assumed was his room. He slid his card and pushed me in. His room was similar to mine, except that it was much larger. I noticed all of my things were in here.

"What's going on?"

"Your sleeping in here, with me."

"Whoa."

"What?"

"Everything's going so fast. One minute I'm alone, the next your my mate and we're living together."

He smirked at me.

"Let's christen the room."

Victor pulled me against him, his mouth meeting mine. He grabbed my hair, pulling my head back. I groaned. Suddenly I was flying through the air. I landed on my back on the bed. I had enough time to sit up, before he was on me again.

My clothing was shredded. Victor was the epitome of controlled fury.

"Victor?"

He looked down at me.

"Are you alright?"

He chuckled.

"It's been to long Roslyn."

"Too long? We had sex twice today, about three hours ago."

Victor slipped a finger inside of me. I moaned.

"Ssssh. I only wanna hear you screaming."

_Hours later_

I was laying on my stomach, exhausted. I opened my eyes as my phone went off. Victor growled and I scrambled out of bed to quickly get it.

"Hello?"

"Roslyn! I have just finished talking with Charles. It seems you've had another interesting day. A conscious mind! What on earth can you come up against next?"

"Hopefully nothing."

"You sound exhausted my dear. Working to hard?"

Victor chuckled darkly in the background. Thank god Hank didn't hear.

"I'm fine. When will you be home? I've been having some trouble setting up the internet in your office."

"By nightfall I should think. I will take a look at it when I get home. Get some rest Roslyn. We have a busy day tomorrow."

"I will."

"That goes for you to Victor."

I blanched and then blushed. He did hear.

I hung up and then groaned.

"Oh god."

Now Victor was laughing.

"That is not funny. My mentor knows what we just did."

"Half the school knows what we just did."

I blushed even harder and hid my face.

"Get over here."

I walked slowly over to the bed, still mortified that my sex life was for public consumption. Victor pulled me down next to him.

"I have to get back to work."

"You heard the Doc. He said you needed to get some rest."  
>"I don't really. With our healing factor, it would take weeks for us to get truly exhausted."<p>

"6 weeks."

"You've gone six weeks without sleeping?"

He nodded. I looked at him, from where my head was resting on his chest. I felt a heat stirring again as I studied him. He was handsome, downright sexy if you asked my opinion.

I watched as a smile spread slowly across his mouth.

"Like what you see?"

"Very much."

Victor opened his eyes and stared into mine. He pulled my face down for a kiss.

"Tomorrow I have to go to Sing Sing to interview some prisoners. Including my father."

Victor stared at me and I broke eye contact first.

"What is he going to tell me about you?"

Victor let out a sigh.

"Nothing you don't already know."

"Honestly?"

He looked at me again.

"I'm a killer Roslyn. It's what I do, and nobody is better at it then me."

I sighed. Time to get it all out of the way.

"Children?"

Victor broke eye contact. I reeled back.

"You murdered children?"

I was climbing out of the bed now. I could understand, but not condone, the killing of women and men. Adults. But children were, children. They were innocent.

"Roslyn."

"NO! Don't touch me right now."

He slowly let his hand drop.

"I was coming to terms with what you've done, who you are. But how could you murder children?"

I turned back to look at him. He was staring at me.

"I told you everything you heard about me was true."

"So you rape, murder and pillage?"

He nodded. I felt anger boiling under my skin.

"Your my mate, and I'm stuck with you. But I swear if you ever force a woman or kill a child again..."

"You'll what?"

Victor's face had gone dark. I could threaten him with violence, but that wouldn't work. All he knew was violence.

"I will run. And you will never find me."

His lips pulled back into a snarl.

"I'd find you."

"Maybe."

I got off the bed and started rummaging through my clothes. I heard Victor moving behind me and sighed. I wasn't in the mood. For any of this.

"What if I said I wouldn't kill kids?"

I turned around.

"That would be a start. I would like to hear that you won't rape anyone, or murder children."

He nodded.

"I won't ask you to change, that's not fair. But I will never be able to get right with you hurting woman and murdering children."

"Then I won't."

I smiled at him.

"But I want something in return."

"Alright."

"You come back to this bed every night."

I leaned in and kissed him.

"I can do that."


	18. Chapter 18

** Woot! This is where we start to get into the thick of it. So let me know what you are all thinking.**

My alarm went off before I was ready. Moaning, I reached out my hand to turn it off. That's when I looked at the time. It said it was four in the morning.

"Did you change the alarm?"

We didn't have to be up until six.

I didn't get a verbal response. I felt Victor slide under the blankets. Ah, this is why we were getting up early. My agitation fluttered away as Victor's mouth found me. I was panting before he was done.

"I think I like this kind of a wake up call."

"Stick around. It's how we're getting up every morning."

He kissed my mouth the same time he entered me. I could taste myself on his lips, and he slammed his hips into me over and over again. The man was insatiable. He took me over and over, until it was time to get up.

I grumbled and groaned as I got up from the bed.

"Can't we just stay in bed forever?"

Victor only grunted out a laugh. I grabbed the pillows and started tossing them where they needed to be. Then I straightened out the sheet. Lastly I laid the comforter on top.

I felt Victor's eyes on me as I did so.

"What?"

He shook his head, and ran a hand through his shirt hair.

"This is gonna take some getting used to."

I nodded.

"Yeah it is. What side do you usually sleep on?"

"Side? Baby, that bed isn't big enough for me to pick a side."

"We're gonna need a bigger boat."

For a moment I thought my Jaws reference was lost on him. But he made a small amused noise.

"I just realized something."

Victor looked at me expectantly.

"I don't know shit about you."

Now he really did laugh. I liked seeing him laugh. His face didn't seem so dark, so mean.

"Same here schatzi."

"I'm a Pisces, I like Coke more than Pepsi, and I can sleep anywhere. Including, but not limited to, a porch swing, a closet, under a sink, and a port-a-potty. I'm not proud of the last one."

Victor looked at me like I a grew a second head before busting out laughing.

"A portable shitter?"

"In all fairness I was exhausted."

He shook his head, still smiling at me.

"Anything else?"

"Loads. Tons really."

He nodded.

"What about you?"

"Not much to tell babe. I am what I am."

"I know. I'm talking about everything else. What's your favorite food?"

His smile made me blush.

"I am not a food group Victor."

"You should be, cause I love eating you."

I blushed again.

"Your terrible, do you know that?"

"I do."

I was silent as I gathered my things to head to the shower. Before I left a thought popped in my head.

"Why do you hide your intelligence?"

Victor looked up from where he was sitting.

"They expect me to be a mindless animal. It gives me an edge."

I shook my head and left the room. He was an enigma, there was no other way around it. Would he ever let me in?

I had little time to think about that as I entered the showers. Rogue was singing something, under the spray.

"I didn't know you were such an early bird, or that you liked to sing."

Rogue screamed when she heard my voice. Her head peeked out from behind a curtain.

"Roslyn! You scared the shit out of me."

I only smiled in return. I set my things down and turned the water on in the stall next to Rogue's.

"I'm surprised your up this early."

"Why? I told you last night I had to leave this morning."

"I know. I just figured you would be tired after having that much sex."

I slipped and bonked my elbow on a tray that was built into the wall.

"Was it really that loud."

"You two could have woken the dead."

"Crap."

"So.."

"Rogue..."

"Come on, spill."

"What do you want to know?"

"He's big isn't he? Does he know how to use it?"

I sighed. Victor knew how to use it, oh god did he know how.

"The man could write a book on how to use it."

Rogue giggled. I heard her pull the shower curtain back. I stuck my head out.

She was leaning toward me.

"How big?"

I gave her a look. She put her hands up a few inches apart.

I sighed. Not even close.

"Bigger."

She moved her hands apart some more. About six inches.

"Bigger."

Her smile was growing. Now she had her hands about 9 inches apart.

"Close."

Rogue's grin turned into a little 'o'.

"How on earth does it fit. Is it thick?"

I showed her with my hands.

"Jesus. How are you walking?"

"I heal quickly."

"God lord Roslyn. No wonder you were screaming."

Now I was smiling.

"Look at you, you little minx."

I laughed and ducked my head back into the shower. I was on a schedule here after all. I was washing the shampoo out of my hair when I heard someone come into the shower room. One whiff and I knew it was a male. He passed my stall and I heard Rogue scream as the sound of her curtain being pulled back hit my ears.

I tore through my curtain and moved behind the man. I had no clue who he was, and I didn't care. I grabbed his arm and threw him back over my shoulder toward the entrance.

"VICTOR!"  
>I stepped into Rogue's stall to see her sitting on the ground, knees up to her chest.<p>

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. He just scared me."

"Hey! I was looking for you!"

I turned around to see the man getting up. He took a long, hard look at my naked body. It sucked, but the towels were near him. Plus, now I had the advantage. He was a little distracted. Rogue held the curtain to herself as she stepped out.

"Who is he?"

"I was going to ask you the same question."

Just then I saw Victor come around the corner. He was soaking wet, wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. He took a look around, landed on me in my birthday suit, Rogue hiding behind the curtain, and the man standing in a few feet in front of me.

With a snarl that chilled my blood, Victor sank his claws into the mans shoulder and started dragging him out of the shower room.

I turned to look at Rogue.

"What the hell?"

"I'm starting to get used to strange things happening around me."

She shook her head. I walked forward and grabbed two towels off the wrack. I tossed one to her and wrapped the other around myself. I walked around the corner and out into the hall. The man was laying on the ground, Logan's foot in the middle of his back. Victor was standing with his arms across his chest a few feet in front of me. When he heard me, he turned around.

"You alright."

"Yeah, he just scared the bejesus out of us."

"I wasn't going to hurt you guys!"  
>I looked down to the man on the floor. He had tattooed a symbol on his face.<p>

"Who are you?"

"Barney."

"Why in the hell did you walk into the girls shower room?"

"Wouldn't you?"

The smile wasn't lecherous, it was just male.

"Well I'm a girl, so I'm allowed."

"Your a woman, there is a difference."

He gave me a look. Victor walked over and kicked him in the face. I cringed as the blood poured out of his broken nose.

"Barney the bathroom perv, what do you want?"

"My bose is broken."

"Yeah it is. If you tell me what you were doing here, we can get someone to look at that."

"Bo will?"

"Of course."

"I beard you ver borking on the mutant thing. I beed help."

I nodded my head.

"I am. What exactly do you need help with?"

"I bow bout the plan."

I raised an eyebrow. I mentally called out for Charles. He heard me, and was on his way.

"Logan, you can let him up."

He looked at me, none to happily, but did as I asked. The man sat up and tipped his head back.

"Don't tip your head back Barney, the blood will flow down your throat. You could choke."

He nodded and brought his head back down.

"I'm going to get dressed, before this hallway fills up with people."

Victor followed behind me.

I could hear Rogue's feet as she quickly walked to her room.

"Why is everyone always after you?"

I looked back at Victor as he leaned against the wall.

"I don't know. Hank's brought me up to a new level. I'm in the public eye now as the Assistant to the Ambassador of Mutant Relations. I believe it's called high profile."

I toweled off quickly. Today I decided to wear a a black pencil skirt, and a green, three quarter length sleeve top. I slipped on the black heels.

I ran my hands through my hair. What should I do with it? I had left it down so long I wasn't sure how to put it up. I sighed and moved on to my makeup. Same thing. A little eyeliner on the top, and mascara. Except today I added red lipstick. It matched my hair. I could feel Victor watching me as I put it on. He wanted to see what I looked like. I smiled at myself in the mirror. Then I turned to face him.

"How do I look?"

"To damn good. Come here."

I walked over to him. The lipstick was fade proof, and transfer proof. But it needed to set.

"You have to wait a full minute to kiss me, or you'll smudge my lipstick."

He kissed my cheek, and then my ear. He slowly worked his way down to my neck. It had definitely been more then a minute. I licked my lips.

"Kiss me."

He did. When he pulled away, I was happy to see it didn't transfer.

"Hmm. I like this look."

"Yeah?"

"You look sultry, smart, and untouchable."

"What are you wearing?"

"Clothes."

"Oh ha ha."

He smiled.

"A suit."

"I like you better in this."

I ran a hand up his bare chest. I felt the purr start. I loved that noise.

"You'll just have to suffer."

"Sweet talker. I suppose we should get out there."

He nodded. I gathered my shower things and put them back in the tote. I clicked clacked my way out of the bathroom, with Victor hot on my heels. I felt him reach out and pinch my butt. I slapped his hand away playfully.

"Careful now, you'll break my concentration, and I'll fall."

He did nothing but smile.

The hallway was packed, as I said it would be. Victor took my tote from me and headed over to our room. Jean was looking at Barney, and Hank was looking around until he stopped me. His face broke out into a wide grin as he strode over to me.

"There you are my girl! And look at you! You look wonderful. The lipstick really brings it all together."

I smiled at Hank.

"Thanks Hank."

"So, this young man says he has information about our case."

"So he says."

"I'll interview him while you and Victor are off at Sing Sing."

I nodded.

"Call me if anything pans out?"

"Absolutely."

I gave him a quick hug. Victor had just come out of our room. Today he was wearing another black suit, but this time he had on a blood red dress shirt. I grinned at him. He looked damn good.

"Well, I'll leave you to it then. Victor, keep our girl safe."

Victor nodded his head at Hank.

I was half way down the stairs before I realized I didn't do anything to my hair.

"Fuck!"

Victor whirled around to look at me. He looked puzzled and amused.

"I swear all the time."

"In bed."

"Is that all you think about?"

"Yes."

"At least your honest. I forgot to have Jean do my hair."

Victor gave me a, I'm a guy look.

Kitty came down the stairs just as we reached the bottom.

"Kitty, do you have a pony tail I could borrow?"

She smiled and pulled one off her wrist.

"Thanks."

"No prob."

I began pulling my hair up as we walked. I settled on just throwing it into a pony tail. I was only going to prison after all.

_2 ½ hours later. Sing Sing Correctional Facility, Maximum Security Isolation Ward._

I had already spoken with three of our four clients being held here. I saved my father for last. I waited patiently as they led Ted out. He gave me a sad smile and a small wave. I smiled back.

"Here we go."

Victor patted my thigh.

The door reopened and they led him in. His hair was longer, pulled back with a piece of sting or a shoelace or something. He looked thin, ragged. But then all of the mutants did. It was disagreeable, but I wasn't a lawyer yet, all I could do was tell Hank when I got back.

The guard led him over to the chair, and cuffed his hands to the table, and his feet to the floor. That's when I noticed the I.V pole. When his eyes met mine I saw the surprise, and confusion.

"This is the last way I ever wanted to meet you."

I looked at him. He knew about me then?

"You know who I am?"

"Think I wouldn't recognize my own lawyer?"

"I..."

"I know. But now's not the time Roslyn. We aren't among friends."

He looked at Victor for a second and then back to me. I looked at his face, awestruck at how similar he looked to me.

"You can't be implying that Victor.."

"Is an asshole. He is. But that's not what I'm saying."

Victor leaned over and whispered into my ear.

"We're being watched. Keep your questions simple, and don't talk about your relationship to him."

"Tell me about the attack Mr. Black."

"Not much to tell. I was walking out of Mike's on 22nd, when this frail started screaming that I had tried to rape her. Two guys were waiting in the alley. They started in on me with bats. I fought back."

"Had you ever seen the woman before?"

He shook his head.

"She wasn't in the bar that night"

"Nope."

"How much had you had to drink?"

"A bottle or two."

"Of what?"

"Jack's."

I nodded.

"What did the men look like? Skin color, hair color..."

"White, both were skin heads."

"As in..."

"Aryan Brotherhood."

I sat back. Oh shit.

"What were they wearing?"

"Doc Martins with red shoe laces, black combat pants, camo jackets."

Typical attire for the white supremacists.

"Did they say anything?"

"Oh yeah. Die freak, I'm gonna kill you. Your an abomination. You know, sweet things."

I smiled. He was so different than I thought he would be. He was easy going, laid back. Even in prison. And he had a sense of humor. I was expecting him to be more like Victor and Logan. Not like me.

"So you let some jumped up skin heads get the drop on you?"

He looked over to Victor, with barley contained rage.

"I was a little preoccupied with the frail."

"Did you attempt to rape her?"

He looked back at me.

"No, I told ya. I took three steps out of the bar, turned left, and the frail started screaming her head off."

I nodded.

"The file shows her with multiple wounds, bruises, scratches."

"Wasn't me."

I nodded.

"Why are you hooked to an I.V?"

"Pussy juice."

"Excuse me?"

He smiled then, and shook his head.

"Sorry about the language. It's sedatives. They keep me hooked up to keep me docile."

I nodded my head.

"Is this being monitored by a physician?"

"No. This is prison Roslyn, not a mutant retreat."

"Are you being treated inhumanely?"

"Well, were not humans, so no, were not being treated humanely."

"You know what I mean."

"We get three squares a day. Granted it usually left over grease and fat. But hey, I've gone longer with worse."

I nodded.

"Is there anything else you'd like to add Mr. Black, before we leave?"

"It was good to meet you Roslyn."

I smiled sadly. Here was my father, a mere few inches from me, and I couldn't do anything. Couldn't talk to him, couldn't hug him. I could only watch as they roughly hauled him away.

I didn't say a word until we were out of the prison and in the car. Then I put my head in my hands and sobbed. Victor remained silent as he drove back to the airport.

I couldn't get the images of all the men out of my head. In their initial pictures they looked healthy. But now they were all drawn looking, gaunt even. And my father was the worst. His skin was sun-kissed in the picture. Now he was as pale as me, with dull eyes, and an I.V that was keeping him so doped up he could barely function.

I was going to have to push Hank and Matt to get their bail reduced. They would die long before they reached trial if someone didn't stop it.

My phone rang.

"Hawthorne."

"How did it go?"

"I'll tell you when I get home."

I heard Hank sigh.

"Barney is proving to be a rather informative man."

"That's good. Can we use any of it?"

"Indeed we can."

"Good. I will talk to you when I get back."

"I will have a cup of hot cocoa and a fire started in the study when you do."

I smiled. Hank always knew how to make me feel better.

"Thanks Hank."

"No thank you my dear. You have more courage then 10 woman your age. More than even me."

I nodded my head.

"I will see you when you get home."

I hung up the phone. I stared out the window as snow began to fall. We pulled into the airport. I disliked flying commercial, but I really didn't expect a private flight or to take the professor's jet.

I made it through security with little trouble. But they were giving Victor some nervous and downright disturbing looks.

"I'm sorry sir, but we cannot allow you to board."

"And why not?"

"Your claws sir. No weapons are allowed on the plane sir."

The woman was terrified to tell him so, but her boss was a fat man with a sweat stained shirt, and no guts.

"It's alright. Ma'am. I think we'll just drive."

She looked visibly relieved. She mouthed a thank you to me. I nodded back at her.

Victor was angry. I could smell it on him. We waited in line behind an elderly couple who were having trouble redeeming their credit card points.

"I'm sorry sir, but it seems that you don't have enough points to to take that flight."

"But I called yesterday, and they said."

"That was yesterday sir. This is today."

I growled softly. She was blatantly being rude to this man. And he was being completely calm and nice.

I steeped forward and tapped the woman on the shoulder.

"We've decided to drive home, why don't you take our tickets and exchange them for a different flight?"

The woman put a hand over her heart.

"Oh no, we could never."

"I insist."

The woman looked from me, to her husband and then back again. Tears welled in her eyes.

"And you said there weren't any good people left in the world Harold."

I handed tickets to the woman behind the desk. I made sure she saw my claws.

"I assume this won't be a problem?"

Her eyes went wide.

"No ma'am. I'll just need you to sign a few papers..."

I signed the papers and then smiled at the couple.

"Have a nice flight."

"Be careful driving. I hear the highway is getting slick."

"Thanks."

"Thank you."

I turned and walked back over to Victor. He had an amused look on his face.

"You just gave away $840 dollars."

"We weren't going to use them. I'll pay you back if your mad."

He shook his head.

"Your a bleeding heart Roslyn."

"And proud of it. To many people in this country, in this world, look the other way. It's disgusting."

Victor chuckled and took my hand. It startled me, but then I grinned. I could get used to this.


	19. Chapter 19

** Thanks everyone for the support via reviews. And thanks to everyone who messaged me with ideas, concerns, wants. Please keep them coming, and I will keep striving to do exactly as asked. ( I have had a a lot of people asking for certain characters to show up, and I have been doing my absolute best to make sure they all make appearances. Let me know guys!)**

I headed straight down to the office. I knew Hank wanted me to kick back and relax, but I felt like I was missing something. Some connection between all of this. And seeing my father only added fuel to that fire.

"So Allen says they were Aryan Brothers?"

"That's what he said."

"And you believe him."

It wasn't a question. I looked over to Hank.

"Yes, I do."

"Roslyn..."

"I am not being swayed because he is my father Hank. Three of our seven, my father, Ted, and Zac, all stated the attacks were initiated by men of the same description."

Hank looked like he was about to protest.

"And furthermore, the woman mentioned in my father's report is mentioned in four others. That can't be a coincidence. This is all connected. The F.O.H is recruiting from the white supremacist cesspool."

Hank sighed and shook his head.

"I'm going to call Matt, run this by him. He has private investigators on salary, and can run these people down."

I shook my head. Private investigators? The AB would smell them for what they were. We needed someone who wasn't afraid to do what might needed to be done in order to save these men.

"What about getting their bail reduced? Or having them transferred to another facility?"

Hank held the phone to his ear and spoke as he dialed.

"Matt is working on getting their bail's reduced. He is trying to get it in Dunlow's courtroom, where we stand a better chance of being heard."

I nodded my head. I just wanted them safe. Safe until we could get them out. Permanently. A knock on the office door drew my attention away from Hank's conversation with Matt. I got up and answered the door.

"Hey kid. Can we talk?"

Logan's face gave away nothing. I nodded and made a motion for him to step inside the office. He shook his head no.

"In private."

I turned to Hank, who was watching us intently even as he talked to Matt. I held up one finger, indicating I would be back in a few moments. He nodded and then gave me a look. I knew it all to well. It was a, be careful Roslyn, look.

I stepped outside the office, and waited until I hear the door hiss shut behind me.

"What's this about?"

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to make fun of ya."

I sighed and crossed my arms. This wasn't about yesterday, Logan was all off. He didn't sound right.

"What's this really about Logan?"

"You. Me...Him."

"Logan, we've had this discussion already. I can't change how all of this went down."

"You didn't give me a chance."

I didn't know what to say, or even how to explain this to him. His words were harsh, and they stung.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you Logan, I really am. Believe me when I say it was the furthest thing from my mind. But what's done is done, and we can't undo the past. All we can do is look forward to the future."

"Easy fer you to say darlin'. My future walked off with another man."

I felt the first real sting of tears hit my eyes. Logan was angry, hurting. And he was taking it out on me. Normally I would shrug it off, put it aside until I had proper time to deal with it. But I was stretched thin as it was, and I didn't need all this shit bleeding all over me.

"Put yourself in my shoes, you angry, mean sonofabitch."

Logan's eyebrows went up a bit at that. Yeah, I was angry. And tired. Of everyone laying everything on me.

"What's that supposed to me?"

"Imagine for a second that your me Logan. In one hand your trying to save the lives of seven men, one of whom is your father. Which ties together closely to your work with mutant relations and position as Hank's assistant. In your other hand, you have to balance out a possessive mate, a hurt friend, school, family, and friends."

Logan didn't respond right away. Instead he ran a hand over his face, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry Rose."

"For what now?"

"Everything. For what we put on you, for forcing you to make that decision. And for being a dick."

I smiled. I was just happy that someone understood how much all of this weighed. The burden of it.

I leaned forward and hugged Logan. He may not be my one, but he was one of mine, and I had missed him.

"You kept your promise."

Logan nodded his head. He was making his peace with me, and the decision I made. And I was more grateful then he could ever know.

Victor chose this moment to step out of the elevator. One look as Logan's arms around me and he was storming down the hall like a freight train from hell. I stepped in front of Logan, and Victor was to close to do anything but keep coming. His massive frame slammed into mine, snapping my head violently forward. The impact of his body on mine snapped several of my ribs, my collar bone, provided me with multiple vertebrate fractures, and more I'm sure. But my body assessment ended when I hit the floor about thirteen feet away from where I originally started. An all mighty snapping noise resounded, and then the pain.

Excruciating, white hot, pain. My whole body was alive with it. I managed out a wail of agony before my entire being began itching. Deep in my muscles, my bones, my brain. It was everywhere. Every nerve in my body was singing, with the incessant, maddening itch.

Around me I could hear voices, smell worry, fear and anger. Hearts beating too fast, chests rising and falling to rapidly. It all built up into a dull roar, a white noise so loud I wanted to do nothing more than curl up and cover my ears. Just as I thought it was reaching it's crescendo, it all stopped. I sighed a breath of relief. The itch was gone, the skull searing noise.

"Roslyn."

"Yes?"

I heard a laugh of joy above me. Hank's blue face swam into my vision. I smiled at him.

"Are you still healing?"

"No, I'm finished."

Hank nodded. He placed a hand behind my neck and the other grasped my own hand. He helped me sit up. It was nothing more than a gesture. I was completely capable of sitting up by myself.

I looked around. There was no one here but Hank.

"Where did they go?"

Hank looked down and then back up again.

"Logan is upstairs with Charles. Victor is..."

"Victor is what?"

"He's gone."

I felt my heart plummet. Victor was gone?

"I fear this my be all my fault."

"How can this possibly be your fault Hank? You've done nothing but give to me."

"Victor came to me when you first got home. He was angry with me."

"Angry about what?"

"He believed I was putting to much on you, pushing you to hard."

I nodded my head. I felt that way sometimes, but I didn't realize Victor had picked up on it.

"I'm afraid I became a little to defensive, said some things that I should not have."

"Is he coming back?"

"I don't know Roslyn. I just don't know."

Tears spilled out of my eyes and down my cheeks in two steady, lazy waterfalls. Hank picked me up from the floor and started walking back to the office. I was sad, but I was also angry. Victor just gave up, left me like I was some cheap floozy he met at an out of town convention.

My face burned with emotions. Anger, sadness, shame, betrayal. Hank set me down in the spare chair in the office. My brain was ablaze with thoughts. Some dark, some darker.

"I was a bad mate."

I was nodding to myself. That had to be it. It was me. I ignored him, left him alone for to long. Got to wrapped up in my work, in myself. And he left me.

"No Roslyn. You were a good mate. You strived to make it work, honored the commitment, gave him everything you could, while accepting very little back. If anything, he failed you."

I looked at Hank.

"He was forever questioning you. Worried that you would be unfaithful, worried that you would leave him behind. He let all of those things build up, and become more important to him than you. And because Victor is who he is, he left rather than face it."

Hank's argument had more footing than mine did. I gave Victor everything I had. And it wasn't enough.

_ 3 months later_

"Roslyn?"

I turned around and waited for Matt to approach me.His footsteps echoed in the hallway.

"What's up Matt?"

A grin lit up his handsome face.

"I just wanted to thank you for having the transcripts done in braille."

"It was the logical thing to do. And it was no trouble."  
>He nodded his head at me.<p>

"Either way, I'm glad. Foggy tends to forget I'm blind sometimes."

"I'm hyper aware."

"I noticed."

"Do you think we're prepared for tomorrow?"

"As we'll ever be."

I sighed. These past months had been hard. Docket work, follow up interviews, research. But it had all been worth it. I had personally got three of the seven cases dismissed on the grounds of misconduct. But we still had four more men to save. One of them was my father.

"It's going to be alright Roslyn."

I nodded my head, knowing he couldn't see it, but knew he felt it.

"You're right. We're going to win this thing, and bring our boys home. Come hell or high water."

"There's the spitfire I remember during the pre-trial proceedings."

I shook my head. I may have been a little, excitable.

"What did the tabloids call us? Foggy mentioned it earlier..."

"The pitbull and the shark."

Matt laughed.

"That's right!"

I remembered the article.

_"Lead defense attorney Matthew Murdock is like a pitbull, sinking his teeth into the prosecutor with rabid delight, while his paralegal Roslyn Hawthorne, sensing blood in the water, swims in with the agility and speed of the great white, viciously tearing this case apart, limb by limb."_

"I've been called worse."

Matt smiled sadly at me. And it was true. Since I left the mansion three months ago and moved to New York, I had been the target of some very nasty tidings. But I took them in stride. Hank didn't seemed phased, so neither was I.

"It's been tough, but it's almost over."

Sensing the end of this conversation, I hit the button on the elevator.

"Tell Hank to call me when you get home."

"Will do."

"See you in the morning."

"Bright and early."

Matt nodded his head and me and then walked off. The elevator didn't stop once, probably due to the time of the morning it was. 2:45 am was not a popular time in this building. Sighing, I pulled out my phone.

"Roslyn! All set?"

Hank's happy voice met me on the other end.

"As we are ever going to be. Matt asked me to have you call him later."

"On your way home?"

"Yeah."

"We're out of coffee again dear."

I smiled. Poor Hank. I invaded his townhouse, ate all his food, drank all his coffee, and kept odd hours.

"I'll stop on the way. Do we need anything else?"

"If we do, I'll send for it tomorrow morning. Be careful on your way home."

"Has something else happened?"

"Nothing out of the usual for you. Some idle death threats, a revenge promise, and will you believe this, someone sent me a dead cat earlier."

"Ewe."

"I agree. I seemed to have steered clear of the threats when I resigned myself from the case, but apparently I can still receive someone's refuse."

"Share the wealth as they say."

Hank laughed.

"Alright, I will see you when I get home."

"Alright my dear great white."

I laughed as I hung up. I should have seen that coming. I stopped at the front desk and turned my name badge into Phil, the supervisory night guard.

"Rosie the riveter! Pulling another all nighter?"

I smiled. I had a few nicknames in New York, and even more back at the mansion.

"Hey Phil. What's it like out there?"

"Chilly. Gonna wanna put your coat on."

I nodded as I pulled on my knee length dress coat. I should really have something longer to cover my legs, but I was fashion forward, not weather forward.

"Thanks Phil. Have a good night."

"Will do."

When I got to the door, Phil buzzed me out. I stepped out into the crisp air. Winter was refusing to go out without fight this year. I smiled as my breath turned into a cloud of vapor in front of me. These were my favorite nights. The streets that were normally bustling with the night life, were silent. The cold drove everyone indoors.

I took in one last deep breath before beginning my long hike towards the park.

I was two blocks away from Alderman's all night grocery when I caught the scent. Someone was stalking me, hunting me. And they were doing a damn good job of it. Staying down wind, moving with me. But he was far from a pro. I could smell his anxiety, his anticipation. He wasn't just going to try and off me, it was apparent in his scent.

I turned around and looked at him. He was easy to pick out. Regular black clothes don't blend into the darkness, because the night was more than one shade of black. I could see him sweating bullets.

"I'm tired of playing with you sir. Please come on out so we can get this over with. I am rather tired."

He stepped out of the shadows, and took aim at me. A gun, how original. I side stepped the bullet easily.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?"

Before he could respond, a familiar shape descended upon him from seemingly nowhere. I watched in horror as my past finished the man off with one quick and effective blow.

"Miss me?"

Victor leaned down and whipped his hands on the dead man's clothes, his eyes never leaving me. I waited patiently while he strutted over to me.

When he finally reached me, I turned and walked away. Some statements were better silent. I walked into Alderman's, aware that Victor was right behind me. I didn't know what to do, what to say. It had been three months since he left me, three months of wondering if he was alright, if he was with someone else. Three months of hellish agony, that I cleverly disguised from most by burying myself in my work.

"You learned how to fix your hair."

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. The elegant bun I wore my hair in was proof that I had indeed learned how to fix it.

"I'm a fast learner Victor. I always have been."

I held two different brands of coffee in my hands. I liked them both in truth, but I was comparing them so I wouldn't have to look at Victor.

"Hey Jacob?"

I yelled to the man at the front register. Jacob Alderman was a fellow mutant and good friend of mine.

"What?"

I looked down the aisle, maybe fifteen feet at best, and held up the two coffee brands.

"Seriously? It's not even a contest."

I smiled and nodded. He was right. I put the runner up back in it's place and picked up another bag of the chosen brew. I could feel Victor, his larger than life persona bleeding all over me.

I brushed past him as I headed up to the register. I felt him sigh as my body made contact with his for a few brief seconds.

"So how's the chum treating ya?"

I shook my head. Damn that tabloid and the clever man writing it.

"The shark jokes are already getting old."

"Old. Rose, it's just getting started."

Jacob handed me a copy of the New York times.

"Hank looks good. He's going to be so excited."

"Read."

Jacob pointed at the side bar where all the major articles were titled. Right up there with the mutants right article that got Hank on the cover was another article titled, rather dubiously, The Lone Shark.

"Seriously? It's not even clever, or relevant."

"It's about you."

I sighed. A lot of things had been written about me over the months. But never in this big of a publication.

"Tell me."

"It talks about you as a pioneer for your race, a leader for the mutant community to gather to. Hank's quoted in there, along with Xavier, Judge Dunlow, and.."

"And."

"The President."

I sighed.

"Thanks Jacob."

I tossed a twenty on the counter, not bother to wait for change. I never did.

"Roslyn."

I stopped walking and looked at Victor. He looked thinner, ragged.

"Victor..."

He moved up and quickly gathered me into his arms. His lips found mine, and he began to bring that old, familiar heat to life. Like stroking an old wood stove back from ashes. I quickly threw some sand on it.

"Stop."

Victor pulled away from me.

"You don't get to waltz back into my life and into my bed. You abandoned me, remember? Left me alone and broken on the floor at Xavier's."

He looked away from me.

"You better be ashamed Victor Creed, because what you did was cowardly."

"Grew some balls while I was gone? Where do you get off talking to me like this?"

He was trying to scare me.

"Three months is a long time Victor. And I'm not the person I was. I'm stronger, and you don't scare me anymore."

His hand shot out and grasped my throat. He growled at me and bared his teeth. It was an intimidating sight, one that only brought only slight fear.

"I can smell your fear Roslyn. So don't lie."

"I'm not a fool Victor. I know perfectly well what you are and aren't capable of. So say your piece and then get your goddamn hands off of me."

Victor looked shocked. If he thought he would find that same, soft, easy going girl he left then he was terribly mistaken. I had lived threw gunshots, knifing's, mob attacks, and a Molotov cocktail exploding on my chest. I can take pain.

"What happened to you?"

"Life without you Victor. That's what happened to me."

He looked at me hard now.

"Figures. You come here, thinking I'd welcome you back with open legs."

I shook my head smiling angrily.

"Such a high opinion you have of me."

He got angry then. Really angry. I felt the pressure on my throat increase.

"You were never just a fuck Roslyn. Your my mate."

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

"I'll take you Roslyn, right here in the middle of the fucking sidewalk. I'll shred your clothes and make you remember everything I can give you."

"You always were a good fuck Victor."

I could see his confusion, his anger. But I was only doing to him what he did to me.

"Why are you being like this?"

"Hurts doesn't it? I'm only acting the same way you did toward me. Maybe I should beat you up, and leave you lying in agony on the floor and disappear for three months. See how well you handle all of it."

His lips found mine once more. I waited for the crushing, bruising pain. But none came. Victor kissed me slow, gentle. There was no dominance in it, no pent up aggression. Nothing but adoration, tenderness, and love.

"I'm sorry Roslyn."

I sighed. I believed him, damn it all to hell I did. Everything about him was proof. He was a mess. Clothes torn and filthy. His hair was disheveled, and his skin was grimy. He looked like he had been through the wringer a time or two.

"I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."


	20. Chapter 20

** Special thanks to everyone for the support! You guys are fabulous. Simply the best readers and reviewers their ever was, and ever will be. Period. R.R.E.**

I opened the door to the townhouse and was instantly enveloped by the smell of food. Hank was cooking again. I heard Victor's stomach growl behind me.

"Roslyn! I was starting to wo..."

Hank recovered quickly.

"Worried. You could have called."

I laughed as I walked through the foyer and into the kitchen. Hank was a nervous baker. When he needed to find an answer, or was upset, he baked. Odd, I know. But fantastic for me.

"You've seen better days my boy."

I moved through the kitchen, speaking volumes to Hank with my eyes. I gave him a quick peck on the cheek, and then dipped my finger into the cake mix he was currently making.

"Ah! Get your fingers out of there!"

He playfully slapped my hand. I grinned at him, and stuck my finger in my mouth anyways, tasting the delicious chocolate.

"Your incorrigible."

"I know."

Victor made an impatient noise behind us. I heaved a sigh and looked at Hank for help.

"Roslyn, why don't you finish this here, and I'll go show Victor where he can clean up?"

I nodded my head. Hank walked over and clapped a hand on Victor's shoulder, steering him out of the kitchen. Victor looked back over his shoulder at me, before turning around and speaking quietly with Hank.

I let out another heave of air. I walked back into the foyer to hang my coat up in the closet. I set my keys on the small table next to Hanks.

I slammed my hand down on the table hard. I worked so hard to leave him in the past, and now he shows up, wanting to be apart of my life again. I dug around in my purse and pulled out my phone. I slipped my blue tooth ear piece on and dialed Rogue's number. I slipped my phone into my bra, this dress having no pockets, and headed back into the kitchen to finish what Hank had started.

"Sexy girlfriend!"  
>I smiled. Rogue always knew how to cheer me up.<p>

"I am in deep shit."

I heard Rogue fumbled around a bit, I assume she was sitting up in bed.

"What's happened? Are you alright? Where are you?"

"I'm physically okay, and I'm home."

She let out a sigh of relief.

"What's happened?"

"Victor's back."

Rogue went very, very still on the phone. I heard shuffling, and then Logan spoke.

"What do you mean he's back Rose?"

I felt bad for waking them. But I was in need of advice.

"He showed up when I was walking home from work."

I heard Logan sigh, and then a small click came over the line. Rogue had went and got the other phone.

"Creepy...Like a stalker?"

"I'm not sure if he was stalking me or not Ro. He showed him self immediately."

"He want back in?"

Logan sounded less then impressed.

"That's what he says."

"You ain't listening to him are ya Rose?"

I sighed. I didn't know what to do.

"He's in a bad way Logan. Skinny, dirty. Just rough. I don't know what to do here guys. My plate is full to the brim, I start trial today at 9. What am I going to do?"

I stopped stirring the batter and pushed away a stray hair that had fallen out of my neat bun.

"You and Hank cookin?"

I laughed out a yes.

"Set out extra plates, we'll be over in a bit."

I smiled and silently thanked God or whatever was out there for the two of them.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet Rose."

"Well then thanks to Rogue."

"It's no prob shug. I'm only returning the favor."

I nodded my head and then hung up. I started mixing again. I was just pouring the mixture into a cake pan when Hank came walking back down the stairs. He was deep in thought, but broke out of it when he saw me.

"My dear, I have not seen you so confused since...well, I have never been witness to this before."

"I'm at a loss here Hank. I worked so hard for this life, this serious life that you've helped me build. And now he's back, it's like it was when I first started. I'm torn."

"You called Rogue?"

"She and Logan are coming over."

"Are you sure that's wise? Logan is very protective of you Roslyn."

"I know, but he's better when she's around. More in control."

"That's what mate's do. Better us."

I didn't think I bettered Victor. Nor did he better me. If anything, we were each others Achilles heels.

"He said something to you."

"He said a lot to me Roslyn. He's in a very hard spot for him."

I raised one manicured brow at him. He's in a hard spot?

"Victor is not a weak man Roslyn. He's proud and arrogant. Years of being the best of the baddest has given him the right. He knew what he wanted then, how to get it and what to do with it once he had it. Now he's unsure. He doesn't know how to get what he wants, how to keep it, or what to do after he has it. This is very new territory for him. He is still feeling it out."

I shook my head.

"Maybe he should have told me that three months ago, before I jumped in feet first while his ass was still toeing the water."

Hank shook his head.

"You are more certain of yourself Roslyn. You have a support system he lacks."

"It's my fault he doesn't trust anyone."

"That's just it. He doesn't trust anyone, including himself where you are concerned."

I slammed down the spatula I was using to smooth the surface of the batter in the pan.

"That's bullshit."

I walked out of the room and headed for the stairs. And I was going to tell him so. I heard the shower running in the spare bedroom. I walked through the room, into the bathroom and pulled back the curtain. Victor was turned so I had a side profile of him. He was resting his head against the wall, under the stream.

He looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"I don't know what to do here Victor."

When he didn't respond, I put my hands on my hips, and clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth a few times. It was an old habit, that was refusing to die.

He smiled sadly.

"Alright. Let's start with something easy then. What do want from me?"

He turned his head to look at me, and my heart sank. He looked so lost, forlorn. My hands fell away from my hips and my shoulder's slummed in very ungracefully.

He turned his head back to he was staring at the wall. Then he closed his eyes and let out a haggard sigh.

"I just want you."

"Why didn't you want me three months ago!"

I didn't mean to yell, but all the emotions that I had hid away were all bubbling back up again. I felt the first tear fall. I shook my head and wiped it away quickly. I was mad at myself now. I was standing here, holding back sobs that desperately wanted to wrack my body looking for all the world like a weak, pathetic, little girl.

Victor stepped out of the shower and pulled me to him. I resisted but as soon as my head hit his chest, it all melted away. I had missed this, missed him so much.

"I screwed up Roslyn, and I hurt you."

I nodded my head, not trusting my voice for the first time in my life.

"I'm not an easy person to like. I have...faults. When I first had you, I told myself I wouldn't get attached. I would take you when I wanted, and leave. But you got under my skin. Made my chest ache. I didn't understand it, didn't like it. So when the opportunity came, I left."

I was listening with rapt attention. Victor had never spoken this much to me before, or this openly.

"But every time I picked up a paper, or turned on the news, there you were. With Hank, or with that blind lawyer. I couldn't escape you. So I went to a place where they didn't have those things. For the first time in my life, I ran away from something."

I could smell his shame, taste his guilt. Victor was pouring himself out to me. I ran my hand up and down his back, trying to soothe him.

"I drove myself nuts thinking about you. Where were you? Were you hurt? Were you with someone else? I couldn't take it anymore. I had to see you."

I nodded, my cheek rubbing up and down on his slick chest. He was waiting for me to say something.

"I understand. Without condemning or condoning."

His arms went just a little tighter around me.

"This doesn't mean I forgive you. But it's a start."

Victor put a hand under my chin and angled it up. His lips met mine in another soft, hot kiss. The flames blazed through the earlier sand I had thrown on them, and were consuming me. I felt Victor stir against my lower stomach. It had been so long.

Too long.

I pulled away from him, walking over toward the bedroom door. I could feel Victor's disappointment. I kicked it shut and turned around, unzipping my dress as I did so.

"We can start over tomorrow. Tonight, I want you."

Victor's eyes blazed, as he moved out of the bathroom and toward me. I let my dress fall to the ground, a puddle of Prada at my feet. His eyes scorched my flesh as he gazed at my body. I reached behind my back and unfastened my bra, letting it join it's kin on the floor. Now I was wearing only underwear and high heels.

Victor didn't move closer. He was waiting, tentatively.

"What are waiting for? Get over here and take what's yours."

He moved faster than I remembered. He shredded my underwear and was inside me before I could react. With my back against the cool wood of the door, I waited. Victor didn't move. He had himself buried in m to the hilt, the tip of him touching my cervix in a deliciously painful way.

"What?"

He looked at me.

"I don't know if I can be gentle right now."

"Who said anything about gentle?"

I rolled my hips and ground onto him, using the small ledge above the door to help me. He growled at me.

"Roslyn..."

It was a half moan, half warning. I reached up and pulled my hair out of the bun, letting my crimson waves spill down my shoulders and onto my chest.

I felt him jerk and twitch inside me. He was loosing control.

"Roslyn I..."

"Fuck me."

That did it. He brought himself out and slammed into me. I leaned forward and captured his mouth with mine. This was one area in our relationship that was always perfect. He walked us over to the bed, and climbed on. I raked my nails down his back as he ravaged me. When he flipped me so I was on my stomach, I put my ass up in the air. He mounted me hard, so I reached forward and grabbed the headboard for support. I was moaning and groaning, gasping and screaming. He moaned out my name, over and over. My orgasm came only moments before his did. He pumped into me harder and faster as his own orgasm rode him. He roared out his pleasure, making the windows shake. When he was done, he fell to his side, sliding out of me.

"I missed that."

He let out a soft rumble of laughter, and then pulled me to him.

"Me too."

I smiled as the soft purr started in his chest. I was starting to fall asleep, when the door suddenly flew open, Hank's eyes quickly taking in the situation, before stating,

"Roslyn, we have a very serious problem."


	21. Chapter 21

** Request received cew. Thanks everyone for reviewing. Here's the newest. R.R.E**

I sighed and rolled off the bed. Hank leaned over and picked up my dress, handing it to me before leaving the room and shutting the door.

"He doesn't seemed phased by seeing you naked."

"He isn't."

Victor snarled and I rolled my eyes. Hank and my relationship was nothing to worry about. We were intimate, but not sexually so. I slipped my bra on, and then pulled my dress up. Victor tore my underwear, so I would have to go get a new pair from my room.

I smoothed down the front of my dress and walked out of the room. After a pit stop in my room to freshen up, grab some undies, and fix my hair I headed down stairs.

I could hear Logan talking with Hank. Where was Rogue?

"Hey Rosie."

Logan walked over and pulled me into a hug. I sighed and took a deep breath of him. His scent always made me feel safe.

"Where's Ro?"

"She had to go in. Somethin's happening in the city."

I looked from Logan to Hank and back again.

"What is it?"

"The protest at the prison has come to a head. There is a riot."

I sighed. We saw this coming. You can't put mutants on one side, and the F.O.H on the other and expect them to keep their hands to themselves.

"How's Michael handling it?"

Hank shook his head. Michael McCormick was the major of New York City, and a mutant. Not that anyone knew that. But he and Hank were close, and I considered him a friend.

"He's ordered out riot police. They are under strict orders to maintain the peace."

I smiled and shook my head.

"Maintain the peace huh?"

Logan and I both laughed. He knew as well as I that the police would do no such thing.

"You two seem close."

I turned around as Victor walked towards us.

"Someone had ter be a man for her."

I bit my lip. This was going south fast.

"Your not her man, Runt."

"More than you are."

I put my hands on Logan's chest and pushed him back a little. Always a dick measuring contest when it came to these two.

Logan put his hands up in mock surrender. I walked into the kitchen and he followed.

"What the hell was that?"

"I told ya not to thank me Rose."

I sighed.

"Logan you can't do this. It would hurt Rogue."

"Ro understands."

"I doubt that."

"She does Rose."

I sighed again. Logan had used Victor's leaving as leverage. He insisted he was my mate, my true mate. But I kept him away, and he turned to Rogue. She accepted him eagerly, finally being able to touch and be touched by someone. I had no idea they made an arrangement, and I couldn't see Rogue being okay with any of this. Being nothing more than a fuck buddy.

I shook my head. All of this was ludicrous. There was a riot going on, I had trial in just under five hours and I was having this discussion again.

"Let me in yer bed."

"Excuse me!"

"You've had him, now give me a chance. Then you can choose."

I was more then caught off guard.

"You want to fuck, so I can compare the two of you? Logan that is disgusting."

He shook his head.

"No Rose, it ain't."

"Care to explain your reasoning behind this request?"

Logan looked at me, blushed for a second, and then ran a hand over his face and was very, very serious.

"I will be better than him."

My eyebrows went up.

"I'm flattered, but this is not a contest, nor is it up for debate."

He shook his head and then slammed his hand into the marble counter so hard it cracked and shattered.

"It's not fair Roslyn. I found you first. I was courting ya. And I finally get a second chance, he shows back up here, after hurting you so much, and you just let him. How could ya?"

"Logan..."

"That's enough runt. Leave her alone."

I looked over to see Victor standing in the doorway. He wasn't as large as he use to be, but I suspected that with a little time, some gym action, and a regular diet, he would be back to the sculpted man I first met.

"It ain't gonna happen. I'm just letting her know she has options."

Victor growled and it seemed more vicious, more threatening than all his others.

"You trying to take Roslyn from me runt?"

It was nice that he was calling me by my name. Before it was always mate. My mate this, my mate that.

"Yeah Vic, I am. She deserves better, and I'm gonna give it to her. If I have to kill you to do it, all the better."

I gaped like a fish. I was stunned by Logan's viciousness. He had never, not once, ever acted like this in front of me. Where had my gentle Logan gone?

Victor shook his head, smiling that nasty, dangerous smile. For a fraction of a second I felt terrified for Logan, but then I remembered he had just threatened to kill my mate.

I slowly walked over to Victor, his eyes flickering between me and behind me to watch Logan. I placed my hands on his chest and gave him a small, quick kiss to the side of his mouth.

"Please don't kill him," I begged quietly.

Victor's eyes snapped down to mine. He raised an eyebrow at my request.

"He's an idiot, but he's my friend."

Victor let out a frustrated noise.

"Only for you schatzi."

I smiled as he leaned down to kiss me. Our lips never met. I felt something dig into my side painfully before I went sailing, landing hard on the table and rolling off the other side. I let out a hiss of pain as my ribs healed themselves.

"Are you alright dearheart?"

Hank was there, helping me to my feet. I felt my arm groan in protest for a few moments before it stitched itself back together.

"What just happened?"

"Logan gave you quiet a toss."

I let out an agitated sigh. Hank nodded his head in agreement.

"Come along. Let's leave the boys to fight among themselves."

I nodded my head and leaned on Hank as we exited the kitchen. I could hear them cursing each other, as they hacked and sliced away.

"This is getting utterly ridiculous."

"I agree my dear. But boys will be boys as they say."

"Why won't he just accept it? I'm with Victor."

"I am not sure darling. But I do hope they get over whatever bad blood they have between them. I do not think our poor neighbors will be so understanding a second time."

I laughed. We may be able to smooth things over for tonight, but Hank was right. They would hardly forgive us a second time.

I walked into the study and flopped down on the chaise. Hank smiled warmly at me, taking a seat in the large chair beside the fireplace.

I sighed out loud and brought a hand to cover my eyes. I was so ungodly tired of all of this.

"Let's take your mind off of the current situation, shall we?"

I nodded from behind my hand.

"How is Matt's opening argument?"

I smiled.

"It's the perfect balance of emotion, and facts."

Hank nodded.

"I really think we stand a good chance of winning this thing."

"I have the utmost faith in your abilities."

I smiled at him. He was my rock, my one solid, unchanging anchor in this world.

"Don't ever go away Hank."

Hank's eyes twinkled in the firelight.

"I'll be here as long as you need me to be."

"Settle in for the long haul Hank."

He smiled and then looked pensive.

"What is it Hank?"

"What will happen once your father gets released? I find myself worrying that you will no longer need me."

Hank looked sad, and slightly embarrassed. I sat up. How could he think that?

"Hank, your one of the most important people in my life. Allen is my biological father, and I would love to get closer to him. But he'll never replace you."

Hank looked at me, a smile stretching across his face.

"As far as I'm concerned, you are my father."

Hank brought his fist to his mouth. The gesture made me smile. Hank's mighty shoulders shook, and I knew he was trying his best not to cry.

I got up and quickly went to him. I sat on the edge of the chair, and wrapped my arms around him. He snaked a large blue arm around my waist.

"Thank you Roslyn."

"No thanks necessary Hank. It's the truth."

He dabbed at his eyes, still clinging to me. I placed a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it soothingly.

"I fear I am being rather emotional."

"We're all entitled."

Hank shook his head and gave out a small laugh.

"You're an amazing woman Roslyn."

"Molded by an amazing man."

Hank shook his head again.

"Are determined to make me feel like the happiest man on earth?"

"Is it working?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Hank sighed and patted my thigh.

"I believe Victor is looking for you."

I had been paying so much attention to Hank, that I had blocked everything else out. Victor was indeed looking for me. I slid off the arm of the chair, not before leaning over and giving Hank a kiss on the cheek.

I walked out into the hallway. Where was he? I just heard him. I walked towards his room. The door was open and he was not in there. I tipped my head back and took a deep breath in through my nose. He was close by. I followed my nose, as the saying goes.

My heels made small clicking noises on the dark cherry floors that decorated the house. He was in my bedroom. I walked over and leaned against the door frame, watching him. His clothes were torn up, and blood was beginning to dry on him. He was standing by large four poster bed, just staring at it.

"Something wrong with my bed?"

I watched as Victor smiled.

"Yeah, we're not in it."


	22. Chapter 22

** Thanks to everyone for the reviews! You guys are awesome, spectacular, the absolute best. So here's the newest chapter. Let me know. R.R.E.**

I snorted and shook my head. We were supposed to be starting over, and that meant talking and getting to know each other. Not just having excellent sex.

"You want to sleep in that bed with me and I want to know the man sleeping next to me."

Victor turned his head and looked at me. His gray eyes were dull, listless. Like he had no life

"No you don't Roslyn."

"No? Victor, I am not an idiot. I've done some looking into you. Your a wanted man, and not just in this country. By you being here, both Hank and myself are in jeopardy. We could loose everything."

Victor continued to look at me. I sighed. Did he not realize I would accept him, that I already accepted him?

"I have to get some sleep. I have trial in a few hours."

I walked past him to my dresser. I pulled out a silk nightgown and headed for the joining bathroom. I was shutting the door when Victor stopped it short with one of his massive hands.

"How much time you got?"

"For you? Forever."

He pulled me against him and crushed my lips with his. His hands held my face as if I was something fragile. He pulled his mouth from mine and kissed my forehead. We stood there, his arms wrapped around me.

"Tell me what you can, when you can."

I felt Victor's chest rumble. I looked up, to see his eyes shinning with laughter.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Liar."

"I'm the worst kind of monster out there, and here I am, acting like a pussy."

I looked up at him, and then I chuckled.

"You still are a big bad monster Victor. But here, with me, you don't have to be. In here, you can feel."

He looked shocked at first, and then shook his head.

"I don't deserve this. Or you."

"Those who deserve love the least are the ones who are most in need of it.. And if you don't think you deserve me, that's fine. But I know I deserve you."

Victor brought a hand up to the back of my head where it rested on his chest. I felt him kiss the crown of my skull.

"The runt wants to take you from me, because I took from him."

"You stole his girlfriends away?"

"I killed them."

I blinked a few times. Them? As in more than one? I let out a shaky breath. I forced away my initial response, and waited.

"Why?"

I felt him sigh. I wanted to cry for Logan, but I held it back. I waited to hear if Victor had some validation.

"I was angry, jealous. The runt always had woman falling in love with him."

"So you killed them?"

He didn't say anything else. I didn't think he even knew exactly why he did it. Victor was a slave to his emotions, despite the cold facade he put out there. His rage, his jealousy, made him take from Logan. So they could be equals again.

"From this point on, you are not to take from Logan again. And before you protest, I want to let you know that if you do, I will never touch you again."

"You threatening me Rose?"

"Yes."

He laughed.

"I don't need ta take from the runt. I got everything I need."

"Good. Because I don't think that poor man can take much more."

Victor snorted. There was more history between the two of them, I was sure of it. But I didn't want to push Victor. Not that I really could. I really only had the illusion of power in this relationship.

"I really do need to get a little sleep before I have to get up."

"I'm only letting you go if I'm allowed to sleep with you."

"Of course."

"And if I can watch you undress."

I grinned.

"I'll do you one better. I'll let you help me."

He grinned back at me. I felt his hands run up my sides and around to my back. He slowly unzipped my dress. I let it fall once again to a pool on the ground. I reached back to unhook my bra, but Victor tutted and grabbed my hands. Using one of his large hands, he held them above my head.

Slipping an elongated claw between my breasts, he cut my bra off.

"Victor..."

I was going to complain about him shredding my clothes, but he stopped me short by grabbing a handful of my underwear and pulling them off.

"You realize I don't have time for sex, right?"

He looked at me.

"I'm serious. I have to leave in less than four hours. And I have yet to sleep tonight."

He didn't look happy, but he released my hands. I pulled the forest green silk slip over my head and watched as he eyed me.

"I was just standing here naked and now you look at me like that."

"Green looks good on you."

"Come on, let's go to bed."

I walked past him and climbed onto the bed.

_Thirty minutes later_

I was at the edge of sleep when I felt Victor shift next to me. I wouldn't have normally woken up, but he was moving beneath the covers, and between my legs.

"I'm hungry Roslyn."

I was about to protest, until I felt his tongue. Then I moaned. I heard him chuckle, as he continued his ministrations. A lite sheen of sweat coated my body, as I panted and moaned. He brought me, bucking off the bed, claws ripping the sheets to shreds.

My chest was heaving as I came back down. That's when Victor slid up, and into me. I gasped. He worked fast, his thrusts hitting my spot every time. I came again, and Victor followed. He collapsed on top of me.

"Your insufferable."

Victor laughed as he pulled out of me and rolled onto his back.

"I didn't hear you complaining a few minutes ago."

"It's a little hard to think coherently with you between my legs."

He laughed again as I rolled onto my side away from him.

"When did you start sleeping on your side?"

My eyebrows collided in the middle of my face. He remembered how I use to sleep?

"I don't really know, sometime after you left."

I felt him roll onto his side, and slide an arm around my waist.

"I'm back, and I'm not going anywhere."

I put my hand over his where it rested on my stomach.

"I really hope not."

He made a noise low in his throat and pulled me tighter against him. He buried his face into the crook of my neck.

"I fucked up Roslyn. I know it. But I'll make it right with you."

I nodded my head as I drifted off. I loved the great beast, despite everything he'd done, and more than likely will do in the future. It was basic, animalistic. And I really didn't care. I had him back, and I planned on keeping it that way.


	23. Chapter 23

** Sorry about the wait. I don't want to bore you with multiple chapters on the trail, so I will skim, give you the best of the bad, and move on. R.R.E.**

I was up with the alarm, showered and dressing when Victor finally woke up. I could see him out of the corner of my eye as I applied my makeup. I was standing in my underwear. I learned early on to do my makeup before I got dressed, just in case I dropped or spilled something.

"I've been thinking."

I was applying mascara as I answered.

"About what?"

"When this is all over, we should go away."

I sighed. Go away? If the trail goes the way I want it too, my father will be released. We had 19 years to catch up on. Not to mention I was starting school this fall. But I humored him.

"For how long?"

He got up off the bed and walked towards me. I finished with my eyes and set the tube down as I turned to look at him.

"However long you want."

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Some time together to get to know one another.

"Where would we go?"

"Anywhere you want."

"I only have about $4000 saved up, and more than half of that will have to go toward college this fall, so it will have to be somewhere close by."

Victor tipped his head back and laughed.

"What?"

"You don't have to worry about money Roslyn."

"I kind of do. College is expensive, granted I have two scholarships lined up but it will only cover so much..."

"Roslyn."

"Not to mention books, food, outings. I'll be tapped for..."

"Roslyn!"

I stopped mid-sentence and looked at him. He looked amused.

"What?"

"Your my mate Rose, I'm going to take care of you for ever. Including money."

"Victor, I couldn't possibly..."

"Yeah, you can."

"I would feel awkward asking you for money."

He shook his head.

"You don't have to ask. It's ours, not mine."

"You earned it, not me."

"I earned it, and put it away for a rainy day. Your my rainy day."

I wasn't sure if I liked being compared to a rainy day, but I understood the dual meaning. It still felt weird. Using his money.

"I don't want a hand out Victor. I want to work, to earn."

"You will. But first you have to go to school. And I want to help you."

I kissed him.

"Hmm, don't start something you can't finish."

I laughed as I felt him harden against me.

"Sorry baby, I have to go."

He smiled and nodded his head.

"I'll be here when you get home."

"You better be."

He shook his head as he walked over to the shower. I watched him greedily as he undressed and stepped under the spray. His deep chuckle brought me out of it. I growled and walked out, my skin feeling to hot all of a sudden. What that man did to me! I went into my walk in closet in search of what to wear. Hank, Matt and I had decided I should go for sultry, not skimpy, fierce but not scary. I decided on a black leather pencil skirt and a sleeveless cream colored shirt with ruffling at the chest. I had narrowed it down between two pairs of shoes. I could smell coffee and knew Hank was awake downstairs. I picked up my two options and headed down for his opinion.

"My dear. You look ravishing."

"I was going for confident and slightly intimidating."

"I believe you have achieved it."

"I can't decide on the shoes though."

"The black ones. The nudes ones lighten the look, and if your going for intimidation, the black ones strike the right notes."

"Thanks. What should I do with my hair, a bun, a french twist, down?"

"I have always preferred your hair down."

"I'll go throw some hot rollers in it."

"That poor prosecutor. He has no idea what he's in for."

I smiled as I headed back up the stairs. Victor wasn't in the shower when I went in to find my rollers. I had just plugged them in and turned around, smacking my face into his cloth covered chest.

"I didn't hear you come in."

"I didn't want you too."

I watched as he looked at me.

"What? Do I look okay?"

I self consciously turned and looked at myself in the long mirror that decorated my bathroom wall. I ran my hands down the skirt, smoothing out non-existent wrinkles.

"I was just thinking you should wear leather more often."

I laughed and turned around to face him.

"Right, as soon as court is over today, I'll run out and buy a full leather body suit."

Victor growled and captured my mouth with his. I kissed him back, exploring his mouth with my tongue as he fought and beat me for dominance. His hands slid down my back until they rested on my leather clad ass. He gripped me tightly with both hands. I heard him moan.

"I didn't know leather was such a turn on for you."

Victor grinned.

"Learn somethin' new every day."

"I try to."

"Think about my offer?"

"Of course I'll go away with you. It just can't be for very long."

"2 months."

"Two months! Two weeks."

"1 month."

"Three weeks."

"Four weeks. End of discussion."

I gaped like a fish. End of discussion? Did he not know me? I never stopped having discussions, I was going to be a lawyer for Christ's sake.

"Where are we going?"

"I'll surprise you."

"How will I know what to bring?"

"Pack a little of everything."

"I don't like surprises."

"Tough shit."

I laughed at that one.

"Alright you win. Four weeks alone at some mystery spot."

"And no work."

My stomach dropped. No work? That was impossible. Depending on how all of this played out, I may have more work than ever. The appeal process is maddening, whereas if we won, I would have loads of back work to catch up on with Hank and my tolerance program.

"Victor..."

"No work means no work."

"The same goes for you then."

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I don't consider what I do a job."

"Funny, neither do I. But if I have to give it up for four weeks, then so do you."

"Roslyn..."

"Thems the brakes bub."

Victor snarled at me. I wasn't sure why, but he was angry all of a sudden.

"What?"

"Bub?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"The runt says bub."

"I picked it up from him, so what?"

"How much time you spend around him while I was gone?"

A low growl started in my throat.

"I knew it."

"What?"

"You haven't changed one bit. Your still suspicious of me, distrustful. Well let me ask you this, how many other woman did you sleep with while you were gone?"

He didn't answer. He couldn't, not without me catching him in a lie.

"That's what I thought. Your a hypocrite Victor. And for your information, I never so much as kissed another man while you were gone."

I walked over and began putting the rollers in my hair. I was angry. At myself for believing he had changed, and at him for pretending. Even this going away thing was a sham. He had work somewhere, and was gonna have me tag along. When I was finished, I pushed past him and headed for my office. My heels clicked as I made my way down the hall. I was half way their when I heard my phone going off in my bedroom. I ran back and snatched it out of Victor's hand just as he picked it up.

"Hawthorne."

"_Morning Roslyn."_

"Good morning Matt. All set?"

_"As set as we're ever going to be. I just received word that the Judge is expediting the trial, there have been numerous threats on all sides. He wants this over as soon as possible."_

"So what does that mean for us?"

_"It means we're in for a very long day."_

"He can't possibly mean to do this trail in one day. That's ludicrous."

_"He's sure as hell going to try. My guess is that we will have one or two twelve hour days ahead of us."_

I took in a deep breath. I could see Victor lingering in my peripheral vision. I walked out of the room and down to my office.

"Is this going to damage us in any way?"

_"I can't see how. We'll stick to the plan, just edit it for time."_

"How edited?"

_"Opening statements have been limited to 10 minutes each."_

"Is this even legal."

_"You know, I'm not even really sure. But as long as both parties agreed upon it."_

"And you agreed."

_"Not yet. I called you for your take on this."_

I smiled. Matt was a good guy, one of the best really.

"It will save the tax payers some money. I really think this is just a ploy to catch us with our pants down."

_"I thought so too."_

"Let's roll with this. I want to see their faces when we blow them out of the water."

_"My thoughts exactly."_

"I see you in a little while."

_"I'll bring the coffee."_

"Sounds good."

_"Oh and Roslyn."_

"Yeah?"

_"Bring an umbrella, it's going to rain today."_

I smiled. I hadn't been outside yet, but I was betting he was right. He always was.

"Ok."

I hung up and smiled. Then it slid off my face as the true weight of it hit me. We were going to have to work fast. All of my files had to be in perfect order. I grabbed my over stuffed briefcase and ran down the hall and towards the stairs. I passed a confused looking Victor. I left him that way.

"HANK!"

I burst into the kitchen and flopped my briefcase down hard on the kitchen table. I hastily explained what I had just been informed of.

"Oh my. Well let's get this organized shall we?"

I loved Hank, with every fiber of my being. He never panicked, never not worked up. I was hyperventilating, and he was cool as a cucumber.

"Take this, go fix your hair and then come back down and help me."

I nodded as I took the cup of coffee from his outstretched hand. I ran up the stairs drinking the delicious coffee as I went.

I pulled the rollers out of my hair, ran my fingers through it a few times, sprayed in some diamond shine mist, and was off again. When I arrived downstairs, Victor and Hank were flipping through my files, handing pages back and forth to one another. I said nothing as I grabbed up a stack and began separating them. It took less time than I thought.

"Thanks guys."

I stuffed them back in my briefcase. A quick glance at the clock told me I needed to head out soon. I moved to the front closet. I grabbed my DKNY wool and cashmere coat with the ruffles. It was water proof and warm. I was not making the same mistake twice. I pulled out an umbrella. All I needed was my gloves.

"Hank do you know where I left my..."

"In the pocket of the green Michael Kors pea-coat."

Sure enough, they were in the pocket. How did he always know?

"I swear she would loose her head if it weren't attached."

"I heard that!" I said as I walked back into the kitchen. Hank was smiling, and so was Victor.

"And I hardly ever lose track of anything."

"Roslyn dear, where is your coffee cup?"

I stopped and looked around. Did I bring it back down from upstairs?

"Uhh."

"That's a very intelligent answer."

"Oh alright, I occasionally lose track of small, forgettable things."

"My dear, if it's not a case file, a brief, a document, your phone, laptop, or other piece of notarized paper, you pay it no mind."

"That's not true."

"Roslyn. You have thirteen birthday cards in the mail basket, and one from me sitting on your desk that you have not opened. You also neglected to attend your own birthday party last month, and have not opened your gifts."

I looked at him. I missed my birthday? How could I have forgotten? Was he pulling my leg?

"You've been busy my dear, but I suggest you slow down some."

I nodded. Maybe I was a little too into my work.

"As soon as this is over, I'll slow down some."

Hank smiled.

"And open your birthday gifts!"

"When I get home. Maybe."

Hank sighed and rolled his eyes. My phone buzzed.

"My car's here. Have a good day Hank. Victor, don't kill anyone."

I slipped on my coat and gloves. I double checked that I had my phone, laptop and briefcase. I was on the front steps when I felt the vice like hand wrap around my upper arm.

I was whirled around to come face to chest with Victor.

"Think you can leave without kissing me goodbye?"

It hadn't crossed my mind.

"Oh silly me." I leaned up on my tip toes and pressed my lips against his lightly. I was pulling away when forced me back. He gave me a spine melting kiss.

"Have a good day."

He walked back into the house, leaving me staring at his retreating form. I was breathing a little hard. Damn him! Now I was frazzled, worried and hornier than hell.

**Three days later.**

"Is the jury ready to read the verdict?"

"Yes your honor. We the people of the jury find Alan Roger Black, Travis Lee Baldwin, and Stephan DuPont not guilty on the count of first degree murder."

"On the second count of criminal mischief?"

"We the people find the defendants Alan Roger Black, Travis Lee Baldwin, and Stephan DuPont, not guilty."

I felt my heart beating wildly in my chest. We did it. We got them all off. There was a tremendous roar in the courtroom, from all sides. I turned and hugged Matt.

"The defendants are free to go. Court is adjourned."

I watched as each man had their handcuffs removed. I smiled as Alan's eyes landed on me. He smiled back softly.

"I hope your happy with yourselves."

I turned around to see Michael Price, the prosecuting attorney for the state.

"Ecstatic actually."

"You just let three murderers go."

"I did no such thing. The jury let them go. I just convinced them to do it."

He made a face at me and stormed out. It didn't matter. We won. I hugged Matt again. Walking down the court steps, Matt and I were assaulted with reporters.

"Miss Hawthorne! How does it feel to have all these wins at your feet, before you've even gone to law school!"

"It feels damn good."

"Mr. Murdock! Is Roslyn going to be taken on as a full partner when she graduates?"

"There will always be a place for Roslyn at my firm, whenever she wants it."

I smiled at Matt and he smiled back.

"Roslyn! Is it true that you and Matt have a more than professional relationship?"

I was taken back and I think Matt was too.

"Matt and I are close friends, but nothing more."

"What about Dr. McCoy? You've been living with him since you came to New York. Are you in a sexual relationship with him?"

"Dr. McCoy is my dearest friend and mentor. The man is practically my father."

We were slammed with more questions before we were able to get down to our waiting car. Once the door was shut I grinned like a maniac. I was glad in this instance that Matt was blind, because I knew my canines were gleaming.

"We did it Roslyn!"

"It feels so surreal."

My phone buzzed. It was Hank.

"We did it!"  
>"Congratulations! To both of you!"<p>

I knew Matt had exceptional hearing, so did Hank.

"Thank you. But we could have never done it without you."

"Here here!" Matt said with a smile.

"Where shall we celebrate?"

"I'm not sure we should go out tonight. We made a lot of people very angry with us."

"Then we shall celebrate here. I know a certain grumpy cat who wouldn't mind."

I felt bad for leaving Victor behind. But the trial became so chaotic that I just stayed at Matt's. He was literally only four blocks down from the courthouse.

"How's he been?"

"Gruff, and horny. Spends all his time down in the gym. I'll tell you what, he's beginning to look like he used to."

"Oh boy."

"I'd warn you now that if your wearing anything you hold dear, remove it before you step into this house."

I blushed seeing Matt smile, knowing he heard every word of what had been said.

"Oh my."

"Indeed. I had to physically restrain him from going to find you last night."

"God lord. It's only been three days."

"I'm afraid this is one situation I cannot help you with my dear. He's done nothing but pace, work out and eat."

"Is he nearby?"

"I'll get him for you."

The car stopped and Matt got out.

"I'll see you in a little while. Well, you know what I mean."

I grinned at Matt as he walked into his building. I heard Hank knocking on a door, and then him telling Victor it was me.

I could hear him breathing, and then the sound of a door closing.

"Victor?"

"Mmm?"

"We won!"

"Good. Are you coming home now?"

"Of course. I'm on my way now. Hank wants to celebrate.."

"I'm going to shred your clothes and fuck you until the bed breaks."

I swallowed nervously.

"Victor, it's only been three days. Two and three fourth days actually. Aren't you happy I won?"

"I'm happy your happy and this shit is done with."

"Oh. Okay. I'll see you when I get home then."

I hung up the phone before he could say anything else. He wasn't happy for me. He was just glad it was done with. GAH! He was frustrating. I didn't even want to go home now. I was excited and he didn't care either way, as long as I came home to give him pleasure. The more I thought about it, the angrier I got. I worked my ass off for this! Spent months of my life on this.

I dialed Rogue's number.

"I just heard the news, congratulations!"

"Thanks, want to buy me a drink?"

"Hell yes I do. Where do you want to meet?"

"Someplace mutant friendly. I pissed enough bigots off today. Don't need to be mauled by an angry mob."

"Sure hun. Meet me at Midnights."

"Alright."

I hung up with Rogue and told the driver there would be a change. He dropped me off at Midnights with instructions to bring my briefcase and things home and to tell them he dropped me off at Central Park.

I stopped Rogue right away. She jumped up and ran towards me.

"I can't believe you got them all off! Your freakin' super woman!"  
>The bar wasn't packed, but it wasn't empty. Everybody looked up and me. Soon I had people gathering around, shaking my hand, hugging me. I had dozens of drinks sat down in front of me, and I drank them all happily.<p>

I was good and buzzed about an hour and a half later when Victor came storming through the doors. I had taken off my jacket, blazer, and had unbuttoned my blouse to show a decent amount of cleavage. I was having a blast. When I saw him I giggled.

"Uh-oh! I'm in trouble now."

Everybody around me laughed, and I followed suit. I was just about to toss back another white lightning when he slapped it out of my hand.

"Hey! Jack bought me that shot!"

My speech was slightly slurred, but I was feeling pretty good.

"Come on, we're going home."

I rolled my eyes at Rogue, who was more than her fair share drunk.

"If you don't beer from me, I mean hear from me. Did I just say beer from me?"

Rogue laughed so hard she snorted. Which started a chain reaction, because I started laughing so hard I could barely stand. Victor gathered my things and steered me out of the bar. He tried to put my coat around my shoulders, but I kept pushing it, him, away.

"I don't need my coat. I can't freeze to death."

"Your drunk."

"Can't do that either, but I'm pretty buzzed."

"Why didn't you come home?"

I snorted. My buzz was fading fast without the constant presence of fresh alcohol to push it forward.

"To what? A mate who only cares about when he's getting laid next. Woo-hoo!"

I pointed an index finger in the air and twirled it around. Victor stopped walking and stared at me.

"I just took part in the most spectacular case the world has ever witnessed! Matt, Hank and I set president for mutants everywhere. They don't have to fear the judicial system anymore. We beat the those motherfuckers at their own game! And you don't even give a shit!"

I realized I was yelling by the end of my speech. It wasn't my intention, but I had never been buzzed like this before.

Victor stared at me hard.

"What do you want from me Roslyn."

I laughed. What did I want from him? He made it sound so hard, like I was asking so much from him.

"I just want you to care."


	24. Chapter 24

**Apologies to my fans, I've been neglecting you. Thanks to everyone for the reviews, keep them coming. Here is the newest.**

I'm almost a hundred percent sure Victor was about to say something. Something important. Maybe the L word? My feelings would never be tested true because it was cut short by the unmistakeable noise of gun fire. I bolted for the nearest cover, which happened to be an alley just a few feet away. I flattened myself against the wall and looked at Victor. He was staring at my white blouse, now stained deep red in various area's.

"Already healed. Victor, don't."

I could see the rage in his eyes, smell his blood lust. But if he went out their and killed whoever shot me, it was done. Everything I worked so hard for would disappear. My relationship with Victor would become public knowledge and I would lose everything. Maybe even see the inside of a cell.

"If you do this, I'm done."

His head snapped back in my direction. His eyes burned with fury I had never seen before.

"He shot you, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! And you want me to let it go?"  
>"Yes. It's happened before and I'm sure it will happen again. It comes with the territory."<p>

He slammed his fist into the brick wall, cracking it. I shook my head and chanced a look around the corner.

I rolled my eyes at his grandstanding and waited. The gunfire had stopped but the assailant was still coming. He rounded the corner and I smiled at him.

"Church of Humanity, or FOH?"

The man was taken aback. His hazel eyes widened in surprise as he took in my torn and bloodied clothes.

"I'm difficult to kill. So which is it?"

He snapped out of it and raised the gun at me again. I shook my head sadly. This man, kid really, barely out of his teens, was treading in some very dangerous waters. I felt Victor moving behind me.

"Your a filthy heathen! Your kind is a disease that needs to be eradicated from the earth!"

"Church of Humanity then. Remy, would you be so kind?"

I felt several things at once. Victor's confusion and surprise, the kids fear and commitment, and the breeze as one of Remy's cards flew past my face close enough to move my hair.

The card slammed into the kids chest, sending him sailing a few feet back. Out cold.

"Impeccable aim, as usual."

"You expect anyting' else Cher?"

"Nope."

I watched as he slunk out of the shadows, his red eyes burning through the night. Victor looked from me, to him, and then back to me again with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm a lot of things, but one of them is not a fool. Remy is my security."

"Security?"

"I ave' been Mon Cher's shadow since she left the mansion."

"You let her get shot you piece of shit, you call yourself security?"

"Victor. He's not a body guard. I don't need that kind of protection. He simply intercedes on my behalf. A silent and non-lethal take down. No blood shed."

Victor's jaw was set. He was beyond angry, and I truthfully had no idea what he was going to do.

"Remy thinks a congratulations is in order Cher?"

I smiled and thanked Remy.

"Let's get going. I don't want to get caught in another angry mob."

"Remy agree. He never want to do that again."

I shook my head but remained silent. I could feel Victor's rage, his frustration. With no way to vent, it built up inside him like a super furnace. A volcano rather. And when he finally blew, I was sure the consequences would be dire and devastation would follow.

"Cher?"

"Yes?"

"Where he goin?"

I looked back to see Victor walking in the opposite direction of us. My eyebrows came together in confusion. Was he trying to cool off? Or something worse?

"Victor?"

He stopped in his tracks. His silhouette cast an intimidating shadow under the street light.

"Aren't you coming with me?"

I didn't mean to, but my voice cracked.

"Is that what you want?"

"YES!"  
>I was beginning to think I had an impulse control problem. Victor turned around to face me and I found myself once again marveling at the man in front of me. We were so different, so wrong for lack of a better word, for each other. But it was him. The realization struck me hard. I loved him.<p>

I felt my feet moving without my permission. They walked, and then ran toward him. I didn't stop until I was touching him.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I was frustrated. I didn't mean it. Please, please don't leave me again."

I was staring into his gray eyes, hoping. With each passing moment my heart sank lower and lower. I looked away from him first, no longer able to stand the intimacy. I felt his large hands on my face, turning me back to look at him.

"I ain't going nowhere."

I lunged forward, my mouth meeting his hard. He kissed me back roughly, easily regaining his dominance over me.

"Good. Because if you ever leave me again, I will track you down and beat the shit out of you."

He laughed and sent familiar tingles down my spine. I shivered at the sound. Victor felt it and grinned.

"Hmm, I love it when you smell like this."

"Horny?"

His grin widened as he nodded.

"You've been working out."

I ran my hand up his torso feeling his newly re-hardened abs and pecs. Hank said he spent the three days I was gone in the gym downstairs. I had no idea he could bulk up that fast.

"You like muscles."

"Yes I do."

"Let's go home and I'll show them to you."

I grinned and nodded. I liked that idea. A lot.

"And when I'm done fucking you, pack your bags. Because we're going away."

For the first time in my adult life, I didn't argue.

**Two weeks later, Italy**

I watched the sun come up from the balcony of our rented villa. It was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen. I looked back at Victor, spread out naked across our bed. I smiled. I wished it would be like this forever. But our vacation was coming to a close, and we would both have to return to the real world.

Only now I was having trouble deciding which world I was meant to be in. The first week we were gone, Charles contacted me. Trouble was brewing, and he wanted to know if the time came, would I come to his aide? Would I fight with him?

It would mean giving up certain aspects, comforts really, of my current life.

"We agreed to no work."

I felt his hands snake around my naked hips. He pressed a gentle kiss on my shoulder.

"I wasn't working per-say."

"Hmm-mmm."

I smiled at him. Two weeks of just me and him and he was an expert on reading me now.

"Charles contacted me last week."

He stopped kissing my shoulder and sighed.

"What's he want."

"To know where I stand."

Victor growled.

"I knew that prick wouldn't leave it alone. Roslyn, you don't owe him anything."

"Actually I do. But that's neither here nor there. It's time I decided. I can't dance on the sidelines for the rest of my life. I need to pick a side."

He snorted and I turned to look at him.

"Pick a side? Rose, he already knows where you stand, what side your on. He just wants to use you."

"You do know we're talking about Charles Xavier, right?"

Victor gave me a look and I nodded quickly. I learned early that he had no problem admitting that we were nearly equals, and that I maybe just a tad smarter than him. As long as I never showcased it.

"I just meant, he would never use me, not in the traditional sense anyways."

"Nobody uses my mate."

I smiled at him. He was so over protective, it borderlines on obsessive.

"You know me well enough by now baby. Would I let someone use me?"

He smiled wide enough that his canines showed.

"Only me."

"Only you."


	25. Chapter 25

**Couldn't sleep. So I decided to write! I'm sure you won't mind. Cew, I will try to fit Logan in more. R.R.E.**

Sitting on the plane, I couldn't help but let my brain wander. I thought about my life, what I wanted, what was best. Victor made a grunting noise next to me.

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

I looked over to him with a small smile on my lips.

"The future."

I almost said my future. That would have started an argument. It was hard to think of us instead of me. We, not I.

"Hmm, and what does the future have in store for us?"

I sighed. I had no idea. Trouble was brewing, Charles was worried, which made me worried.

"That's the problem. I have no idea. Everything I wanted before seems selfish."

Victor patted my hand a few times.

"One day at a time."  
>Victor, king of one liners.<p>

"I think we should go to the mansion. Just for a few days."

Victor shook his head and sighed.

"Why?"

I could hear the suspicion in his voice, and I knew why. He thought I wanted to see Logan.

"You bitch and moan about how I never talk about anything other than work, well you never stop talking about Logan. Thinking about Logan. Your obsessed."

Victor tensed up and I mentally kicked myself. I should have not started an argument on a plane packed full of bystanders.

"Victor, I didn't mean it to come out that way. I'm just sick and tired of you second guessing me. I'm with you. If Logan was a charming billion with a big dick, a heart of gold, power and the patience of the Pope, I would still choose you."

He looked at me, his gray eyes alight with humor and something else.

"All that and you would still want me?"

"I'll take your grumpiness, homicidal rage, and Casanova bedroom skills over all that any day of the week."

He snorted. I think it was finally sinking in. I wanted to be with him, despite his long list of unfavorable qualities.

"Casanova huh?"

"First word that came to mind."

He grinned and captured my lips with his. I happily kissed him back. He pulled away and laid his head back against the head cushion. He looked at me out of the corner of his eye.

"You really aren't going for the runt?"

"Logan is my friend. Helped me out when I had no one. He protected me, and for that he will always be my friend. But your my mate, my protector. I love you."

My eyes got wide. I had not meant to say that. I looked at Victor like a deer in the headlights. He looked at me, his face blank.

"I uhh, have to go to the bathroom."

I quickly got up from my seat and practically ran to the bathroom. Once inside I sat down and covered my face. Your such a dummy Roslyn! I was so busy mentally berating myself that I didn't hear the lock slide back, or the door opening until Victor was standing inside the bathroom with me. He shut the door behind him and locked it. I turned my face away from him in the cramped bathroom.

"Roslyn."

"I didn't mean it."

Victor slammed me into the wall.

"Don't lie Roslyn. You meant it."

I nodded softly. I did.

"Your right. I did. I do."

His eyes bored into mine. I fought the urge to look away. He was so intense, so... I don't even have the words for what Victor Creed is.

"You think I'm a fool don't you?"

A small smile crept onto his handsome face.

"A little emotional sometimes, but I wouldn't mate with a fool."

I rolled my eyes.

"Your important to me Roslyn."

I smiled sadly at that. My laptop was important to me. My briefcase was important. He sensed my sadness, my disappointment. He leaned in and rubbed his nose against mine.

"Better than being just a piece of ass I suppose."

"Your MY piece of ass, Roslyn. My concubine, my woman, my mate. Next to me, your the most important thing I have."

I smiled at that.

"Which is why, I want you to have this."

He held out a little cardboard box . I raised an eyebrow at him but took the box. It was a strange ring box of sorts. I felt my heart speed up. Was it that kind of ring box?

I opened the box slowly and gasped. I was staring at a gorgeous, sparkling emerald cut ring. I looked from it, to Victor and back again.

"Your mine Roslyn, every mutant knows it. Now every human will too."

"Is this...an engagement ring?"

"Consider it another mark. Your mine Roslyn. In every culture and every species."

I blinked a few times. I didn't know what to do, what to say. How long had he had this? Had he been waiting for the perfect time?

Victor made a noise and it brought my attention back to him.

"This would be a good time to say something schatzi."

I grabbed him and pulled him into a fierce hug.

"It's beautiful Victor."

He pulled away, his face betraying nothing. He plucked the ring from the box, and took my left hand in his other. He slid the ring on slowly. I watched as it climbed higher and higher onto my finger until it sat at the very top.

"How on earth are you going to get a marriage license? Your a wanted criminal."

It was the first thing that popped into my head. Victor gave me his smug little smile.

"Already have it."

My eyes went wide.

"Pick a place, and a time schatzi."

"You want to have a wedding wedding? With flowers and bridesmaids, the whole shebang?"

"Whatever you want."

I raised an eyebrow at him. I could not see Victor enjoying a wedding ceremony.

"That doesn't sound like you."

He smiled at me this time.

"Truth is, I don't give a shit how, or where we get married. I just know I want it."

"You WANT to get married?"

He nodded his head.

"Marriage makes you legally mine."

I nodded.

"Your a real charmer."

He laughed again.

"There are perks."

"Such as?"

"An extended honeymoon, where your not allowed to wear clothes."

I shook my head. I should have known. Victor wanted the marriage so I would have his name, be bound more tightly to him. Not only physically, but legally too. He was tying me to him tighter. Another form of dominance over me.

"You really want to do this? It's not just some last minute precaution, a way to tie me to you tighter?"

He shook his head.

"It is a way to tie you to me, but it also means you share what I have. Access to my money, my assets."

"Makes sense. But, now don't get mad at me. But it seems so out of character for you."

He nodded his head. And then he grinned and a chill ran up my spine.

"What better way to ensure nobody messes with you when I'm gone then putting a big ass ring on your pretty little finger? Or having you take my last name?"

I had to agree. Only a truly mad person, or someone getting paid very well would go after Victor Creed. So it's logical to assume that they would have to be even madder, and get paid an insane amount to go after something that he cared for.

"It seems wrong to get married for those reasons."

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"I'm not trying to sound like a die hard romantic or anything, but shouldn't we get married because we're in love? Because we want to spend the rest of our lives together? And not because we are biologically paired."

He looked at me hard, and I knew it was a futile effort. Victor had decided that we were getting married. End of story. I just wish it was a little more special. Would it have killed him to propose to me? Like a normal person.

"What now?"

He was annoyed with me, I could hear it in his voice, smell it in his scent.

"Nothing. Let's just go back to our seats."

"Don't lie to me schatzi. "

"Really. It's nothing."

He looked at me, and I knew if I didn't answer I was going to be in trouble.

"I've imagined this day since I was a little girl."

"And this isn't what you imagined."

"Not even remotely close. Let's get out of here before someone comes and catches us in here."

"Who cares? I'm trying here Roslyn. I don't know what you want. I thought you would be happy."

I felt bad now.

"No, Victor I am happy. I just had all these unrealistic ideals about what it would be like. I just need to grow up."

He still didn't move.

"I'm not...I don't know how to be..." He stopped talking and shook his head.

"Your not a flowers and chocolate, romantic night on the town kind of guy. Your rough, raw and say what you mean, and mean what you say. It's just who you are. Am I going to marry you anyways? Yup."

He grinned.

"Good."

He kissed me again, and this time he pushed up against me. I could feel him, and my body responded. But I remember the last time we were on a plane together.

"Vic, no. Not on the plane."

He grinned and pulled away.

"Fine. I'm fucking you in the car then."

With that he opened the door and walked out. I sat with my mouth open for a few moments before heading out. I hoped no one noticed.

I walked back to our seats in first class. I was beginning to suspect, despite his rough exterior, Victor was a fan of posh and fancy things. Our villa was the biggest, the most lavish. He only traveled in the most expensive town cars and limousines. Always first class, never coach. His clothes were finely tailored. It must be the cat in him. The thought of Victor being a snobby kitty made me smile. It was a thought I was not going to share with him. Ever.

"When should we get married?" He asked as I took my seat. I stared at my ring, watched the way the light danced off it. It was incredible. Victor noticed me staring and smiled.

I shrugged. I had a lot to think about. I had to get ready for the fallout, as terrible as it sounded. Logan was going to be livid, Hank would be happy for me, Charles would be worried.

"Should I tell everyone that you told me we where getting married in the bathroom on the airplane?"

Victor laughed long and hard.

"Maybe I'll tell them you proposed while we were in Italy."

He nodded.

"I was going to."

"What stopped you?"

There was no way it would have been any more less romantic than it already was.

"No way to escape off a plane."

He had a point.


	26. Chapter 26

** Thanks to everyone for the great reviews! I love hearing what your all thinking. R.R.E.**

Victor was pissed off by the time we cleared customs. It was like standing next to a storm cloud. But I had my own shit to worry about. Victor had stated, the quicker the better in reference to our wedding. I laughed and said it would take some time. As in a few months. He laughed and said I had a month.

"If you ask me again Roslyn, I am going to throw you out that window."

I laughed and it quickly died. Would he really throw me out the window? Probably.

"That's not very nice, I wouldn't throw you out a window."

"You would if you could."

I snorted. He was right, I would never be able to pick him up. I could probably push him out it though.

"Don't even think about it Roslyn."

"Am I that transparent?"

"I know you. Better than you think."

Scary thought.

"I'm going to have to ask you about 'the event' you know."

Victor sighed and ran a hand over his face. Customs, the terminal, no sex. Victor was cranky and pushed to the max.

"Later."

"Okay."

Victor led me to our car. I stopped a few feet away from it. I was staring at a gray, 2012 Lamborghini Murcielago. My jaw hit the floor.

"Victor..."

"What now?" He snarled, and then turned to look at me. His expression softened until he was smiling.

"Like it?"

I opened and closed my mouth a few times and then grinned.

"Can I drive it?"

He raised an eyebrow at me and then his grin got wider.

"Like fast cars baby?"

"Oh yeah."

He hooked a clawed finger at me in a come hither gesture. I did as I was told. He pulled me flush against him and kissed me roughly.

"What will you give me?"

I kissed him back, nipping and sucking on his bottom lip.

"What do you want?"

He grinned lecherously.

"I've got a few things in mind."

"Care to share?"

He pushed me up against the car. Fear and excitement coursed through me. Only Victor could make me feel these things at the same time.

"Victor! There are cameras in here!"

He stopped kissing my neck and looked around. He growled low in his throat and leaned away from me.

"Your going to get it when we get to the mansion."

I went wide eyed.

"I'm all for knocking boots, especially with you. But I think we're going to cause enough of a fallout at the mansion with the announcement. We don't need to make it worse."

Victor snarled at me.

"I don't give a shit about fallout. We're having sex when we get there. Maybe on the way. Period."

I nodded. I figured he would say something to that effect.

"I just wanted you to know where I stand. That's all."

I waited for the ever present, 'I don't give a shit what you think', attitude. But it didn't come.

"Your a shitty liar Roslyn. You worried about the runt."

"So what if I am Victor? He still thinks I'm his mate. He cares for me and I don't want to hurt him."

Victor grabbed me by the throat and slammed me into the side of his car.

"YOUR MY MATE, NOT HIS!"

His grip on my throat was tight enough to crush my esophagus. I clawed at his hand until he released me. I slid down the car to collapse on the ground, wheezing until I healed.

I sat there, with one leg straight and the other bent up so I could rest my head on it.

"Roslyn..."

"Shut up Victor. I don't want to talk right now."

I was sick of talking. He never listened anyways. It was always about him. What he wanted, what he liked or didn't like.

"What did you say to me?"

"You heard me."

"Just wondering if you have enough balls to say it again."

I got up off the cement and wiped away some of the dust that had collected on my jeans. I picked up my suitcase and purse and started walking back towards the terminal.

"Where do you think your going?"

"To rent a car. I don't want to be around you right now. I'll see you at the mansion."

Victor had me by my upper arm before I got very far.

"Roslyn.."

"I just need some alone time, to think."

He didn't let me go. I could see him struggling. He was afraid I was running.

"Drive behind me if you don't trust me."

"Ride with me."

"I don't want to."

"It wasn't a suggestion."

I shook my head. Of course it wasn't. Nothing ever was. I gave him my best glare and started back toward the car. I opened the passenger door and roughly threw my suitcase onto the floor by my feet. I hope it tore the leather.

_ ~70 minutes later~_

I was staring out the window when he slammed his hand against the steering wheel hard enough to dent it.

I remained stoic. Let him throw his fits. He crushed my windpipe in a jealous rage. He hit the steering wheel again and I rolled my eyes.

"Is that necessary?"

Victor looked over at me quickly.

"Your talking to me now?"

"I told you I wanted time to think, gather my thoughts."

He snorted and I shrugged. Our engagement was off to a great start.

"Knock it off."

"What?"

"This. Stop ignoring me."

"I'm mad at you."

"For what?"

"You crushed my windpipe!"

He was quiet for a few moments.

"I shouldn't have done that."

"But you did. You hurt me."

"You heal."

"That's not the point! We're supposed to protect each other. Now not only do I have to worry about the outside world, I have to worry about my mate too."

He gripped the steering wheel tight enough to dent it.

"It won't happen again."

I nodded. He was angry, more at himself than me. But I wanted him to know I wouldn't stand for it.

"If it does, then we're done. I won't tolerate it."

He nodded.

"It won't happen again Roslyn."

"Okay."

I believed him. I had too. Love was about faith, about trust.

"We good?"

I nodded and smiled at him.

"Yeah, we're good."

He tapped his finger against his lips a few times. I smiled and leaned over. Victor met me in the middle for a quick kiss.

"Watch the road baby. This car is too expensive to wreak."

He barked out a laugh and shook his head.

"I'll get another one."

That got me thinking.

"I don't know how much money you have Victor, but it seems foolish to wreak a perfectly good car just because you can afford a new one."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I can earn more."

I guess that's a good way to look at it. Wasteful, but it was his money.

"Want to drive now?"

I looked at him and cocked an eyebrow.

"Is this your way of apologizing?"

"If it were?"

"Pull over."

Victor smiled and did as I asked. We met at the front of the car.

"Can you drive a stick?"

I gave him my best naughty smile.

"What do you think?"

Victor tossed his head back and laughed deeply. He brought his head down, still chuckling. I loved the way he looked when he was smiling.

"Come here."

Victor grabbed me and pulled me flush up against him. He leaned down and captured my mouth in heat packed kiss.

"No more fighting."

I nodded. I didn't like fighting either.

"Let's get to the mansion."

"Got a craving schatzi?"

I smiled at him.

"Maybe."

I walked around to the driver's side and got in. Excitement coursed through me. Victor got in and I tore off.

"It drives beautifully, but I prefer American Muscle."

He just nodded. I gasped suddenly and his head whipped over to me.

"What?"

"I get to see my car! Logan better have kept it up or I'll kick his ass."

Victor snorted.

"I'm serious. I love that car. If it has so much as a ding in it, I will take it out of his ass."

"You mean I will."

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"No. I mean me. I can fight you know."

He nodded his head, but I could tell he was humoring me.

"You and me in the danger room. I'll show you what I can do."

Now he was grinning.

"If you wear one of those leather suits, we might not make it to fighting."

I grinned and shook my head.

"Let's get serious for a second. How do you want to break it to them? Charles will already know. Should I take the ring off, and wait to tell everyone at dinner?"

"No. That ring stays on your finger for the rest of your life. We walk in, they see the ring. We tell them we're getting married. Done."

"Such a way with words!"

One look told me I was playing with fire.

"Okay. How do we handle Logan? He's going to be angry. Mostly at me. But he'll probably attack you."

"I'll beat his ass."

"He's a friend."

"I'll beat his ass, and he'll get over it."

"There's more between you two. I can feel it."

He remained silent until we pulled up to the mansion. I watched the doors open and Charles come out. He was all smiles.

I jumped out of the car and ran over to him. It had been months since I had last seen Charles.

"Hello my dear. I trust you had a good time?"

"I did."

I hugged Charles and he raised an eyebrow at me.

"He is not here, so there is no need to worry about discretion."

That was a relief.

"I have planned a dinner for tonight, a sort of engagement party."

"Thank you Charles."

I looked back for Victor, but he was gone.

"He's brought your luggage in. I think he was hoping for a fight."

"Probably."

"Welcome home Roslyn."


	27. Chapter 27

** Hello my freaky darlings! I'm glad your enjoying the story so far. Let me know what your thinking. Remember, R.R.E.**

I looked at the clock. 8:30 pm. Victor hadn't been around all day. I sighed and slid my heel on my foot. Time to go to my engagement dinner, alone.

Walking down the hallways gave me a strange sort of glee. I had missed this.

"You look beautiful Cher."

I grinned.

"I didn't know you were here Remy."

"Remy came after you left on vacation. Got lonely."

"Walk me down?"

"Remy would be happy to. Where is your scary beau Cher?"

"Not sure."

"Man leaves his fiance to go alone to their engagement party? Somin' wrong here Cher. Remy don't like the way he treat you."

"It's okay Remy. I have my dashing best friend to take me."

Remy grinned at me and nodded his head.

"Oui."

I entered the dining room and smiled. Everybody was gussied up and smiling. A small banner said congratulations Roslyn & Victor. I felt a pang of sadness that Victor wasn't with me. I shrugged it off quickly and joined the group.

_1 ½ hours later_

"So, what did you do in Italy? Did you see the sights?"

"Not as many as I would have liked. I'll have to take another trip back. I didn't get to Venice, or the Vatican City."

Jean sighed and shook her pretty head. She had piled her long red locks on her head, creating a sophisticated look. Her elegant red dress was slinky, but still appropriate.

"We should do this more often."

I looked to Ororo. She was smiling, her now short white and black hair spiked and sexy. A tight tailored suit covered her body like a second skin.

"We should. Working with these kids all day, we need some adult time." Scott said as he took a swig of his beer.

I twirled my wine but remained silent. Victor still hadn't shown up. Nobody said anything, but I could tell they felt bad for me.

"Well, let's make a night of it every week then"

Jean beamed at me.

"A dinner party once a week, Roslyn that's a great idea."

Everybody nodded to each other and began talking rapidly. I tuned them out. I had some gifts on the table. Just little things, Jean had said. I smiled.

"Remy think that's the first real smile he seen on you Cher."

I turned to look at Remy. He was watching me closely.

"Your very observant Mr. LeBeau."

"Remy is. He also observes that the beau isn't here yet Cher. Where do you think he gone?"

"I haven't the foggiest. But I can tell you where he won't be tonight."

"Uh oh. He ain't going to be to happy about sleeping on the couch Cher."

"I'll pull a leaf from his book and not give a shit."

Remy laughed and I smiled at him. All I needed now was Rogue and Hank and I would be set for life. Everybody I cared for in one room. Minus my mother and brother. But I was still in the air about that. I loved them deeply, but I didn't think it was a good idea to involve them any more deeply in my life than I had too. It was dangerous. And if something happened to her or Ethan, because of me, I would never forgive myself.

I think the party would have lasted all night if Charles hadn't reminded everyone that they had classes in the morning. A quick glance at the clock told me it was approaching one in the morning, and 6 am was going to come easy to my friends. I stood up, thanking everyone with hugs as they shuffled out. I watched them stumble about, some more intoxicated then others. I smiled and walked over to the table where my gifts were.

"Remy help you with those Cher."

I felt a chill on my back as he moved closer. I hadn't realized how cold it was in here. My backless green gown with a black interlay was beautiful, but not built for the elements.

"Thank you Remy."

"No problem Cher."

We walked and chatted until we reached my room. I was about to slide my key when it opened. Victor stood there, looking like he had seen better days. I pursed my lips at him.

"Thanks Remy, I'll take it from here."

Remy gently put the few gifts in my arms, and gave the side of my face a quick kiss.

"Remy will be waiting for you at breakfast Cher."

"See you then."

He smiled and was off.

"Are you going to move aside, or do I have to stand out here all night?"

Victor moved aside and I could feel his eyes on my bare back as I entered.

"Have fun?"

"Oodles. I got to sit alone at my own engagement party, where everyone felt sorry for me, but pretended to be happy."

He ran a hand over his face and through his short hair.

I set the presents down on the edge of the bed and began opening them. Jean gave me a gift certificate to a local spa. Ororo got me a tank top that said bride to be, complete with a matching bejeweled thong.

I put down the gifts and looked at Victor. He was staring at me.

"What?"

"You look beautiful."

That stopped me dead. Victor had never told me I was beautiful before. He'd called me ok looking, sexy, fierce. But never the b word.

"Trying to make up for abandoning me?"

He shook his head but said nothing. I walked over to the closet and pulled the dress bag out. I slid out of my dress and carefully put it back inside.

I had just hung it up on the rack when I felt his hands on my shoulders.

"Where were you?"

"I went to see the runt."

I twirled around. Victor's eyes never left mine. Which surprised me, because I was standing in a black thong and stilettos.

"What happened?"

"We fought."

I shook my head. So now he was seeking Logan out to fight? What the hell was his problem?

"He's my brother Roslyn."

My hand flew to my mouth in surprise.

"Logan is your brother?"

"James Logan Howlett. Should be Creed though. We shared an old man."

I took a step back from him.

"You've known all this time that he was your brother, and you still hurt him? Killed people he loved?"

Victor just nodded. There was no emotion.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Victor?"

He was angry now, which was fine. Because so was I. I was angrier than I have ever been. Logan was my friend. He helped me when I had no one. He cared for me and I cared for him. For fuck's sake I almost chose him as my mate. But Victor, they were blood. Brothers. Family.

"Did you tell him?"

"Yeah."

"I hope he beat your ass."

Victor's eyebrow's went up at that.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I hope he kicked the ever-loving shit out of you. And then when you healed, did it all over again. You deserve so much worse Victor."

He looked away from me then. It was the only time I could remember him shying away from a challenge.

"Why do you hate him so much?"

Victor's head snapped up. He came at me and pinned me to the wall next to our closet. His fangs were bared.

"Don't tell me what I feel Roslyn. You have no idea the kind of life I've had."

He slammed his fist into the plaster next to my head.

"I don't presume anything when it comes to you. I have no idea how your going to act from one day to the next. Caring, hateful, gentle, violent, possessive. I have to walk around you on egg shells! Afraid if I push the wrong buttons, you may hurt me."

"That's bullshit!"

He slammed the same fist further into the wall.

"No it's not. A few months ago you slammed into me so hard you crushed my entire rib cage, caused all of my organs to fail, snapped my spine, and cracked my head open. Earlier today you squeezed my throat so hard you collapsed my windpipe, and destroyed my esophagus. Thank genetics for my advanced healing factor or I'd be dead by now."

He looked away blinking hard.

"And for some, innate, illogical, and disturbing reason, I still love your stupid, violent, mean, hairy ass."

He brought his head back up to look at me.

"Still?"

"Still."

He leaned in and gently nudged my face with his nose. I smiled and met his lips with mine. Was this how we were always going to be? Fighting one minute, making up the next?

"You didn't finish telling me what happened between you and Logan."

He let his hands drop from the wall. He reached out a clawed hand and took mine gently in his grasp. I let him lead me over to the bed. We laid there, him on his back, and me curled up next to him, head on his shoulder.

"He's pissed. But he remembers some of it now. I told him as much as I could remember, which isn't much. My brain's been scrambled one to many times. Chuck thinks he'll be able to give him most of his memory back, with my help."

"You best help him Victor Creed."

"Or what?"

"I'll get a chastity belt."

Victor laughed long and hard.

"I'll just tear it off of ya, but go ahead. Might be fun."

"So what now? Are you worse off then before? Better?"

"Somewhere in the middle. He can't decide if he hates more now or before."

"Could be worse."

"I should have told you where I was."

"That would have been nice. But because you were somewhat making up with your half brother, I'll let it slide."

"Good. Because the Cajun was right. I would be pissed if I had to sleep on the couch."

I grinned and shook my head. I should have known he would spy on me.

"Oh please, like you would ever give up the bed. I would have to go down and bunk with Remy."

Victor tensed, and then relaxed.

"I'd pull that Cajun's head off."

"A man and a woman can sleep in the same bed and not have sex."

"Not in my world."

"You've never just slept next to a woman?"

"No."

Learn something new everyday.

"So when are we going to do this thing?"

I looked up at him.

"You mean our wedding? I haven't had a lot of time to think about it. And you weren't around."

"The 31st."

"That's Halloween."

"So?"

"You want get married on Halloween?"

"Yup."

"We have a lot of work to do, and only three weeks to do it."

"Point me in the right direction. I'm all yours."

I grinned at him.

"Good. But for now, I'm sure you don't need directions for this next act."

He grinned and rolled on top of me.


	28. Chapter 28

** I'm pumped about the reviews, fav's and all of you adding me to your watch lists! Any problems, ?'s, you know where I float. R.R.E.**

"Victor, just pick a church!"

I was close to having a nervous breakdown. Had to be. He was holding two photo's in his hands, looking from one to the other. It was October 13th, and we were running out of time.

I could see his grin from where I sat on the bed. He was doing it on purpose. These last couple of weeks had been barley controlled chaos. I had Victor and Logan fighting all the time, Rogue, Jean, and Ororo breathing down my neck. (They were my unofficial wedding planners.) It was...frustrating.

"This one."

He got up and handed me the picture. It was the old gothic church, left by it's parish long ago. It was now for rent.

"Okay. We'll have to hire a cleaning crew. It was pretty dirty."

"I'll do it in the morning."

"Did you end up going with the Armani?"

"No, found something I liked better."

"Same color scheme though?"

"Yes."

It may have been a trying few weeks, but Victor easily made up for it. He was now speaking to me in mostly full sentences. No more fights. It was lovely. He was standing next to me, and I reached out and grabbed his hand.

He looked down and smiled at me. I gave his hand a quick kiss.

"Uh-oh, Rosie wants something."

His smile told me HE was the one wanting something.

"Nope. I just felt like it."

"Mm-hmm. Which one of the frails is going to be your maid of honor?"

I was having an issue there. Rogue was the logical choice, but she was going to be out of the country for a story. My mind kept going back to Remy. Who said it had to be a maid? Couldn't I have a man of honor?

"What if I wanted a man of honor?"

Victor hooked an eyebrow at me. He was interested, not angry. That was always good.

"Rogue is my first choice, but she's going to be gone. Hank is giving me away. Jean, Ororo, Kitty and Jubes are my bride's maids."

"What are ya getting at sweetheart?"

"I want Remy to be my man of honor."

Victor tipped his head back and laughed. He sat down next to me and laughed some more.

"Honey, if you want Remy to be yer man of honor, go right ahead."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." And then he started laughing some more. I'm not sure what was so funny.

"I'm not putting him in a dress or anything."

He cracked a smile and shook his head.

"Your going to tease him aren't you?"

"Me? No."

I smiled and shook my head. That's what he was laughing about. He was going to goad Remy until the cows came home.

"Your terrible. Skipping ahead, did you decide on..."

"I already asked the runt. He said yes."

My eyes almost bugged out of my head. Logan agreed to be Victor's best man?

"How'd you swing that?"

"The runt will take any excuse to be close to you."

I sighed. He didn't take the news very well. In fact, he broke our door down and ripped Victor out of bed. I stayed down in Hank's office until the all clear.

"How are you with that?"

Victor leaned towards me and captured my lips with his. I cupped his face and kissed him back.

"Good. Your mine. All he gets to do is look."

I nodded. He had come much farther. He still wouldn't leave me alone with Logan, but it was a slow process.

"Alright, I'm going to tell the girls about the church, and then find Remy. What are you going to do?"

"Wait for you to come back, fuck you, and then go get something to eat."

I laughed and shook my head. Always blunt. I was afraid his vows were going to be something like, I promise to always dominate, provide for, and fuck you until death do us part.

"Where are we going to eat?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Anywhere but here."

Victor was getting antsy. He didn't like all the commotion, the clutter of so many people.

"Oh! I almost forgot. Our tickets came in the mail today."

I walked over to the desk and brought back the unopened envelope.

"Did you peek?"

"Of course not! You said you wanted it to be a surprise, so I let it go."

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Alright, Remy and I did some internet sleuthing. Your very good at covering your tracks Mr. Creed."

He grinned at me.

"Didn't think I would make it easy on you did you?"

"Nooo."

His smile stayed. I loved seeing that man smile, and the bastard knew it. He hooked a finger at me, and I smiled saucily. I guess telling the others would have to wait.

I sauntered over and straddled his lap. He ran his hands up and down my back a few times before throwing himself backwards and taking me with him. He rolled over and straddled me now. I smiled up at him. He leaned down and began placing kisses on my throat. He slowly moved up and locked lips with me. I ran my hands all over him, before snaking one down his pants. He growled and nipped my neck.

"Minx."

"Barbarian."

He licked his lips and I knew he was in a teasing mood. Thinking fast, I began to stroke him. He moaned and began to gently thrust into my hand. I smiled and gripped him tighter.

"Roslyn."

His voice was deep and rough. I loved it when he sounded like this. He quickly pulled my hand out of his pants and pinned it above my head.

"I got a better idea."

He rolled off to the side and laid on his back. He undid his pants and I laughed. I gave Victor a blow job weeks ago, and he loved it. Wanted one every time we had sex. Which was fine with me. I loved tasting him.

"Seems like I'm not the only one who likes tongue."

Victor chuckled but remained silent. I checked to make sure his hands were under his head. The man choked me the first time I did this. From then on, he had to keep his hands to his self. I slid his pants down, and tossed them off the bed. I slowly kissed up one muscular thigh, and then the other. His chest was rising and falling rapidly. I gently gripped his dick and kissed the tip. His hips bucked. I slowly took him into my mouth. I moved up and down for a few moments, twisting my hand as I sucked.

I didn't have to do it for long. I never did. Victor sat up and grabbed my shoulders pulling me back with him.

"Ride me."

"With pleasure."

I struggled to pull my pants off, settling on just tearing them. Some of his bad habits had rubbed off onto me.

I slowly slid down onto him. This was a rare treat, as Victor didn't usually let me be on top. But he figured the pleasure was worth it. I was getting into a rhythm when a knock at the door froze me. Another knock. Victor and I groaned at the same time.

I leaned forward and rested my head on his chest.

"I'm going to kill whoever it is."

I laughed as I slid off of him. I quickly grabbed the nearest robe, his, and answered the door.

"Remy, this better be good."

"It is cher, big problem. They send Remy to get you and Vic."

"What's wrong?"

"Remy don't know much, except it has something to do with Magneto."

I sighed and looked back at Victor. He was still laying on his back, his hard on bare for the world to see.

"We'll be right down."

"Ok cher."

Remy took off running down the hall. To gather others I assume. I closed the door and walked back toward Victor.

"Let's go see what's happening."

Victor sighed and sat up. He looked down at his hard on and then back at me. I knew where this was going.

"Remy said this was important, and you want to finish. Unbelievable."

He grinned and came over to me.

"I can be quick."

I smiled, remembering the first time he said that to me.

"How romantic."

He grinned and opened my robe. I sighed as he ran his hand up and down my slit.

"Alright, but we have to be quick. This could be..."

I didn't get a chance to finish. He pinned me against the wall and slid inside me. He did what I asked. We were done in under five minutes. I quickly grabbed some pants and slipped on my shoes.

I jogged down the hallways until we reached the war room. Charles, Hank, Ororo, Jean, Scott, Warren, Remy, Logan, Kitty, Bobby, Rogue, and Jubes were all ready there. Thank god Piotr came running in behind us, and Kurt transported the same time.

"What's going on?"

I moved to stand next to Warren and Remy. Remy shrugged his shoulders and Warren turned to look at me. Warren looked every bit a high society male should. Broad shoulders, slim waist, chiseled jaw, blonde hair, and blue eyes. Of course the giant white angel wings did set him apart.

"I don't know, but Charles is worried. He's gathered us all."

I looked around the room. He did indeed. I felt Victor at my back, and leaned back into him. He slid an arm around my waist and put a hand over it. I never felt safer than in his arms.

Charles spoke up.

"As you all know, I have been using Cerebro to monitor our community. I have been keeping my eye on a small collective of us. Until recently they have been of no real concern, but earlier this morning I came upon a small glimpse of Magneto in their minds. He is using them, for what purpose I do not know. He keeps them in the dark, tasking them with seemingly random jobs. I cannot shake the feeling that something is coming."

I nodded. If Charles thought something bad was headed our way, then I believed him.

"What do you want us to do?"

Charles looked at me.

_"I have something special for you and Victor in mind. Wait after the meeting so we may speak in private."_

"Be vigilant. Get out into the community and speak to our people. I cannot read everyone's mind. So I rely on you, all of you, to help me."

There was a collective nodding. The group dispersed minutes later, talking strategy. When the door closed, Charles looked at us.

"What I am going to ask of you two is entirely optional. I would never force you into anything."

"Not that you could."

Charles looked at Victor. We both knew that he could indeed make us do things we didn't want to. But he never would.

"What do you need from us Charles?"

"We need more information. And because of your track record, your the perfect candidate to get it."

I wrinkled my brows. Where was this going?

"You want me to go back in?"

Go back in? Where was he going?

"Your the only one who can."

"I'll let you know."

Charles nodded his head.

"_I'm sorry Roslyn."_

I didn't know what he was apologizing for. But it filled me with dread.

Victor walked out and I stood still. Torn between staying and questioning Charles, or following after Victor. I stood there and let the information process before I made any move.

It hit me like a ton of bricks. Charles wanted Victor to go in under cover with the Brotherhood. He wanted to send my mate back into danger. I sighed and ran back after Victor. Turning a corner I slammed into Logan and would have fallen to the ground if he hadn't caught me.

"Whoa Rose. What are ya runnin' for?"

"Charles wants to send Victor in undercover with the Brotherhood!"

Logan's eyebrows went up.

"What's he thinkin?"

Logan stormed off toward Charles's office and I went looking for my mate. I found him outside, leaning against the tree with the swing. I walked over and sat on the swing.

"Hey baby."

He said as he turned to look at me. I smiled at him, scooted over and patted the empty swing space. He sat down next to me.

"What do you want to do?"

He sighed. I know he missed his old life, I was not ignorant to that.

"I don't know."

I nodded. He was torn, just like I was before. I wanted to go to school, have a career, do great things. I conceded I had time to do that later. Right now, he needed me.

"Whatever you decide, I'm with you."

He nodded.

"But can it wait until after the wedding?"

Victor laughed and it made me smile.

"Nothing happens until after the wedding."

"Good. Because if I get left standing at the alter, I will hunt you down in my wedding dress and kick your ass."

Victor laughed and shook his head. Then he got a serious look on his face.

"I'm going to meet with my lawyer tomorrow. Get the paperwork signed so he can push it through after the ceremony. And then I'm going to transfer money into our new account."

"Your scaring me."

"I don't mean to baby, but I need to make sure your taken care of when I'm gone."

"Will it be long?"

He shrugged.

"I don't like this. I don't want you to go."

He looked down at me.

"If you don't want me to go, I won't."

I nodded. I knew he would, but it wasn't just my opinion that mattered.

"Do you want to go?"

"Yeah."

"Then go. I'll be waiting for you when you get back."

"You'd better be."

I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder. We sat there, slowing rocking back and forth, and I couldn't help but feel like the other shoe was about to drop soon.


	29. Chapter 29

** New Chapter! YEAH! Excuse the nonsense, Halloween is almost here and I'm a huge fan. So I'm all jacked up. Let me know what your all thinking. I love reviews! (Hint, hint, nudge, nudge!)**

I smelled Remy and Logan approaching. Victor did too, and got up off the swing. I could feel the storm brewing inside him, and it terrified me.

Logan inclined his head at Victor and they headed off into unknown parts of the woods. I watched as they walked off side by side. I was never very religious, but I prayed they could manage to hack out some form of a stable relationship. They needed one another.

"Remy think you need a hug Cher."

"And a stiff drink."

Remy sat down next to me on the swing and draped his arm over my shoulder. He leaned over and kissed the side of my head.

"Remy don't know what the big ugly's are talking about Cher, but he know it must be somin bad, if you lookin after them like that."

"Charles wants to send Victor back to the Brotherhood, as a double agent."

"You worried that he might like it to much Cher?"

"Yes. I know he misses his old life, whatever that entailed."

"Worried about him goin native?"

"Something like that."

"Remy don't think the big ugly would be that stupid. He leave you again, Remy don't think he'll ever get you back. And he know it."

I nodded. It was true. I loved Victor, very much. But if he went on this mission, and decided he liked playing the badass bachelor assassin, then I wouldn't be here waiting for him. I wouldn't be anywhere for him.

"He come back to you Mon loup."

I snorted. Remy had taken to calling me his wolf lately. I sighed and then turned to look at him.

"I have something to ask you."

He raised an eyebrow at me and smiled. Remy was my dashing sidekick. He was dear to me. I daresay I loved him.

"I want you to be my man of honor."

Remy blinked a few times, swallowed and then hugged me tight.

"Oui. Remy will be your man of honor."

"Good. Because if you said no, I would kick your butt."

We laughed together. I sighed. I guess Victor and I wouldn't be going out for dinner tonight.

"Want to go have dinner with me?"

Remy stood up and put his hand down for me to take.

"You don't need to ask Cher. Remy will go anywhere with you. Your precious to him."

I smiled at him.

"Precious huh? Your really are a grade-A charmer. But your precious to me too. One of my dearest friends."

He nodded. Remy had a lot of friends, but very few he trusted. Remy was like Victor in that sense. Although I'm pretty sure Victor didn't have many friends.

I went up to our room and gussied up. Remy and I were going to a local Creole place. He said the food was good, not as good as Cajun food, but good never the less.

I picked a simple black dress and heels. Remy met me in the hallway and we linked arms. I wondered how many times I would go to dinner with Remy while Victor was gone?

"Laissez les bon temps rouler!"

I laughed.

"You know, we could ask Kurt to teleport us down to New Orleans. Get some real cajun food."

Remy looked and me and grinned. We high tailed it toward Kurt's room. I knocked on the door and he opened it very slowly. Kurt still considered him self an outcast among his own people.

"Ja?"

"Kurt, it's Roslyn and Remy. May we come in?"

The door opened a little wider and I saw his beautiful blue face, yellow eyes looking at us nervously.

"You vant to come in here?"

"Is that alright?"

He nodded slowly and opened the door wide enough for us to slip in.

"Remy and I were wondering if you would like to go out for some real cajun food?"

He looked stunned and then smiled brilliantly.

"I vould love to!"

"Good."

"I can teleport us! Ver are we going?"

"New Orleans."

"Are you sure you want to be seen vith me?"

Remy and I looked at each other at the same time. Why wouldn't we? Kurt wasn't a monster. He was one of the nicest, sweetest people I have ever had the honor of meeting, and I told him so.

His cheeks turned a darker blue.

"You stick with Remy and Roslyn Mom ami. No one will mess with you. Not in Remy's town."

Kurt smiled and held his hands out for us to take.

"Hold on tightly."

There was a strange tugging feeling behind my belly button and then we were standing in a busy street.

"Welcome to Remy's city!"

_6 ½ hours later_

We arrived back at the mansion a little blitzed. Well, not me. I was sober as a blue bird. But Remy and Kurt were not. Remy and I walked Kurt to his room and I put him in bed.

"Danke."

It was the only thing I could make out in his garbled, drunk German.

"See you in the morning Kurt."

Remy was doing great until the second flight of stairs. Then he was feeling it. Being two in the morning on a Tuesday night, I wanted to remain as quiet as possible. But it was hard. I laughed at him and threw one of his arms over my shoulder and hoisted him up the last two flights. Remy was living in my old room now. I was just coming around the corner when I bumped into a pair of angry brothers.

"Oh! You two scared me."

"Scared you? Rose, where the hell you been?"

I raised an eyebrow at Logan.

"Not that I have to explain myself, but Kurt, Remy and I teleported down to New Orleans for a real cajun dinner."

Victor had his arms crossed over his chest. Remy was loudly singing a song about loosing one's virginity, in his native tongue. I was having a hard time keeping my face neutral.

I waited for about half a minute before I got sick of their angry silence and moved around them. Remy was gradually singing louder and louder.

"Remy you idiot! Shut up."

He grinned at me

"Cherrrrrr. Want to see a slick?"

"Maybe in the morning Remy. Your too drunk to be throwing around exploding cards."

Remy giggled and then laughed. I had to drag him to his door and into his room. I flopped him down on the bed, took off his hat, and shoes.

"Night Mon ami."

He mumbled some more inaudible French under his breath. I smiled, and closed the door slowly.

I knew they were there. Waiting. I sighed.

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you tell anyone where you were going?"

I looked at Victor.

"I didn't think about it."

Victor remained emotionless. Logan sighed and shook his head.

"You gave us a scare Rose. Nobody knew where ya were, yer scent just stopped in the hallway. We thought something happened to ya."

"Well as you can see I'm fine. A little tired, but right as rain."

I gave his shoulder a quick squeeze and walked off towards my room. I was tired. Remy had showed us the city, and these spike heels were not meant for that kind of walking. My blisters healed and then were created all over again.

I could hear Victor's heavy footfalls behind me. I left the door ajar, knowing he would be there soon enough.

I waited for it to come. The yelling, the anger. Instead I felt his hands turning me around, pulling me into a bone crushing hug.

"Don't do that again."

I rested my head against his chest and listened to his heart.

"I'm sorry. It was a last minute decision. I didn't think anything of it."

He rubbed his cheeks against mine.

"I thought you left."

Realization hit me hard. Victor thought I had left him.

"I'm not the cut and run type Victor. If I ever left you, you would know it."

He hugged me a little tighter.

"I forgot about dinner."

I nodded.

"Remy and Kurt kept me company. I'm going to have to get used to eating either alone or with Remy."

Victor pulled away and looked into my eyes.

"Don't get to comfortable, because I won't be gone long."

I nodded, even though I didn't really believe him. Espionage was a tricky thing. You needed to build rapport with the people you were lying to.

"I'm coming back Roslyn."

"Ok."

He could tell I was unconvinced.

"If they don't hear from me within three weeks, the runt will lead the geeks in to find me."

I nodded. I wasn't worried about that. He could take care of himself. I was worried if it would be the same Victor.

I stood looking into his eyes, absently twirling my engagement ring on my finger.

"What are you really worried about?"

I sighed. I didn't want to start a fight, or let him know I had doubts in him.

"That you'll realize everything you've been missing, and decide you want your old life back."

He shook his head. He was angry, and I didn't blame him. If he had told me he doubted me, I would have been angry too.

"You think I would just leave you behind?"

"You did it before."

He put this hands on top of his head. He did that now to stop of hitting something.

"I fucked up. Once. Let it go Roslyn."

"I'm trying."

"Try harder. It's a job. I'll go, and come back. Nothing can make me stay."

I nodded.

"Okay."

He raised an eyebrow at me. I still had some concerns, but I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Come here."

He pulled me into another hug.

"I'm coming back. Your my mate, my future wife. I'm not leaving you here with the runt any longer than I have too."

I laughed.

"Are the honeymoon tickets refundable?"

Victor looked confused.

"You told Charles you would leave after the wedding. We need to re-schedule the honeymoon."

Victor groaned set his head on mine.

"I want my honeymoon."

"The faster you come back, the faster we get our honeymoon."

"Hmm, I'll be back before you know it."

"You better, or me, Rogue and Remy are going to cash those tickets in and go on vacation."

He snorted and kissed my forehead.

"You want to go on vacation while I'm gone, go ahead. Leave me a voicemail, and take the runt with you."

I raised and eyebrow. He wanted Logan with me?

"He'll keep you safe while I'm gone."  
>"I can take care of myself."<p>

He nodded.

"I know baby. Humor me."

"Okay. You know I was just teasing right? I would never go on vacation while you were on a job."

He nodded.

"I know."

"I'll be here waiting for you."

"We got one more thing to talk about."

"What?"

"A house."

"A house?"

"Yeah Roslyn. Anywhere you want to live. New York, San Francisco, London, Madrid. Anywhere you want baby."

"What if I said I wanted to live near here?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Here, in Salem Center?"

"We could move to North Salem. Or up by Peach Lake. I just want to be close to the mansion, at least for a little while."

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Peach Lake is only a few minutes away. I'll call my real estate agent in the morning."

"That fast?"

"People trip over themselves to help you when you have money."

I nodded.

"I want to have a house before I'm gone."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you cowering here. I want you living in the house I bought you. The house we'll live in."

"I get that. But for now, think we can just go to bed?"

"Get naked."


	30. Chapter 30

**It's here! R.R.E.**

I paced inside the small room,

"Easy Cher. Dis the easy part."

I wrung my hands and nodded.

"Easy, yeah."

"Hun, settle down. It's not like your last walk or anything."

I looked over at my mom. She was smiling brightly. Her once auburn hair was now a masterfully dyed blonde. It looked natural. It was all part of her new life.

"I've waited 19 years for this day."

"I'm sorry you can't walk me down the aisle."

"It's alright honey. I'm here, and that's all that matters."

My mother was upset when I told her, but she understood. Victor was a largely wanted man, he was already compromised because of me. And if anyone other than our circle found out about my mother and brother, they could be used as leverage against us. So for all extensive purposes, my mother was dead.

I paced some more, careful not to trip over my dress.

"What on earth made you want to get married in black?"

"I like it."

I watched my mother roll her eyes. Victor and I decided on black, white and red for our color schemes. The church was beautifully done up, I had to admit Victor did have great taste.

Before I could get to engrossed in my thoughts, my bridesmaid's busted in.

"Roslyn! You look beautiful!"

I smiled at Jean as she hugged me. Ororo smiled and gave me a small peck on the cheek. Kitty and Jubes were to busy admiring themselves, which I found rather amusing.

"Are you nervous?"

I looked at Jean.

"More than I have ever been in my whole life."

She nodded. Scott proposed to Jean the night of my rehearsal dinner. She was a very nervous bride to be.

There was a quick series of knocks before I heard,

"Matt and photographer, everyone decent?"

"Come in!"

Matt was looking dashing. I had convinced him to stand with Victor as a groomsmen. It was an interesting bunch. There was Logan, Scott, Matt, and Charles. I asked Victor about his bachelor party, but he just shook his head and smiled. He was more interested in my party, after which we all swore an oath of secrecy. Some things should not be retold.

"Roslyn! I would say you look beautiful, but.."

"She does."

I looked at the photographer. He was young, maybe only a few years older than me. With light brown hair and a genuine nice smile.

"This is Peter Parker, a very gifted photographer from New York."

"Mr. Parker! It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Matt hasn't stopped talking about you."

He blushed and took my out stretched hand.

"Matt what are you doing back here! We're about to begin any second!"

I laughed at Jean's no nonsense voice.

"Remy, take him up front and get back here quick. The grand march is going to start."

"Oui."

He put his hand on Matt's shoulder and steered him out.

"What, uh..where?"

I smiled at Peter.

"Have you ever done a wedding before?"

"Yes, but nothing this...elegant."

"A wedding is a wedding. Just snap pictures of my guests having fun, the bridal party, Victor and me. You'll do fine."

He nodded.

"Alright, I'm going to go get in place."

"Thank you Mr. Parker."

"Call me Peter."

"Alright."

He smiled again before rushing off.

"Places!" Jean yelled before pushing everybody out of our small room. I lingered and then steeled my nerves.

I heard the music begin to play. Hank came to my side and gently kissed the side of my face.

"I feel as though I may cry."

"Please don't, because if you do, so will I."

He nodded.

"I feel I am more nervous than you."

"You should have seen me getting dressed. My hands shook so much I needed Remy's help."

It was true. I was able to lace up my corset. Remy found it very amusing.

"That is a detail I would keep from your husband to be."

"He is very laid back where Remy is concerned. He knows we're like brother and sister."

"That you are."

I took in a deep breath as I watched Jean walk away with Scott. They were the last before us. Hank gave my hand a few gentle pats where it lay against his forearm.

"Here we go."

Hank took the first step forward as I was frozen to the ground. I followed his lead, cautious of my dress, the way I held my head, keep my shoulders back.

I looked forward and saw Victor, calmly waiting for me at the end. I locked eyes with him, and smiled. I didn't look anywhere else. He smiled back, and it made me want to run the rest of the way.

When we reached the end, Hank gave my cheek another kiss before taking my hand and placing it in Victor's. He grasped it gently and we turned to face each other.

Our priest, a man named Samuel Wayne, looked at us with gold eyes. He was a mutant like us. He smiled and put his hand over ours.

"We are gather here today to witness the coming together of two mutants, Victor Creed and Roslyn Hawthorne, whose hearts and spirits are entwined as one. They now desire to profess before all the world their intention henceforth to walk the road of life together.

"You were born to be together, and together you shall be forevermore.  
>You shall be together when the wings of death scatter your days.<br>Ay, you shall be together even in your silent memory.  
>But let there be spaces in your togetherness,<br>And let the winds of the heaven dance between you.  
>Love one another, but make not a bondage of love.<br>Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.  
>Fill each others cup, but drink not from one cup.<br>Give one another of your bread, but eat not of the same loaf.  
>Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each of you be alone,<br>Even as the strings of a lute are alone, though they quiver with the same music.  
>Give your hearts, but not into each others keeping,<br>For only the hand of life can contain your hearts.  
>And stand together, yet not too near together,<br>For the pillars of the temple stand apart,  
>And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in shadow."<p>

"Do you Roslyn Hawthorne, knowing this man's love for you and returning it, realizing his strengths and learning from them, recognizing his weaknesses and helping him to overcome them, take Victor Creed to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

I slid the white gold band up Victor's ring finger. He smiled softly at me.

"Do you Victor Creed, knowing this woman's love for you and returning it, realizing her strengths and learning from them, recognizing her weaknesses and helping her to overcome them, take Roslyn Hawthorne to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

Victor slid a diamond encrusted white gold band onto my finger and nestled it next to my engagement ring.

"Let these rings serve as locks-not binding you together-but as keys, unlocking the secrets of your hearts for each other to know, and thus bringing you closer together for forever. Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be sanctuary to the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no isolation for you. Now there is no more loneliness. Now you are two, but there is only one life in front of you. I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Victor gathered me into his arms and kissed me. I kissed him back. I heard laughing and catcalls from our crowd. I was smiling when he pulled away.

We were quickly rushed by the small gathering we had. I was hugged and kissed by everyone. Victor shook more hands than I could count.

A shrill, hitch pitched whistle broke the crowd apart. I looked over to Remy, who was standing on a pew, grinning.

"What we doin standing here? Remy say, Let's go party!"

I laughed along with the crowd, grateful to Remy for getting this thing moving. Everyone began shuffling out. The reception was at the mansion. It made sense. Plenty of rooms to sleep in, safe. I felt Victor take my hand as we headed to the front.

I smiled and leaned into him.

"How does it feel to be Mrs. Creed?"

"I'll tell you when I know."

He nodded. We got out to the steps and I gasped as hundreds of Monarch butterflies were released. I had not planned this. It was beautiful. I looked at Victor and he grinned. I pulled him down for a kiss.

"Your wonderful."

"Yes I am."

I laughed as he led me down to a waiting limo. He opened the door, and I carefully got in. He followed. When the door shut, so did all the noise.

I sighed and leaned back against the black leather. I felt him looking at me, I opened my eyes and smiled.

"What?"

"You look beautiful."

I grinned.

"You look pretty good yourself."

He grinned like a wolf in the hen house.

"I'm happy that's over. I was so nervous Victor, I could barley get dressed."

He smiled and scooted closer to me.

"Should have called, I would have helped."

"It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding. And I'm sure it's really, really bad luck for the bride and groom to have sex a few minutes before getting married."

"What about after?"

"Perfectly acceptable."

He grinned and captured my lips with his. Things were getting hot when the car came to a sudden stop. I looked at Victor. He was tensed up.

"Son of a bitch wasn't supposed to come until tomorrow."

I was confused and slightly worried. What was he talking about? Why had we stopped?

"I'm sorry baby. Stay here."

Victor got out of the car and shut the door. I scrambled to see out the window. There was a short man, with sickly looking green skin.

I couldn't hear what was being said, the car being sound proofed and all. But I could tell by Victor's body language he was angry. The little guy didn't look happy. Victor turned around and headed back to the car. He opened the door and got in. The car still didn't move.

"Victor."

He had a hand over his eyes. He gave a frustrated sigh and pulled his hand away.

"I know I said I wasn't leaving until tomorrow, but I've got to go now. I'm sorry Roslyn."

I nodded. I was sad, and a little upset. But over reacting was only going to make this worse, make him feel worse.

I leaned forward and kissed him.

"Hurry back."

He nodded and got out once more. I sat back against the seat and fought the urge to cry. Enough Roslyn. If you cry now, your makeup will smear. And what will they think when you arrive back at the mansion with smeared makeup and no Victor?

I was just leaning forward to use the car phone when we began moving again. I looked out of the window and saw the green man pulling his tongue back into his mouth. I cringed. That was gross.

I dialed Henry's cell.

"Roslyn my dear."

"Hello Hank."

"Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise already?"

"A green man stopped us. Victor had to leave."

I heard Hank sigh.

"How are you dearheart?"

"Sad, angry. But there is nothing I can do about it. I'm only a few minutes away. Could you explain to everyone what happened so I don't have too. I may cry."

That was the truth. If I had to stand up and look into everyone's faces, knowing they felt bad for me, sad for me, and tell them Victor wasn't going to be attending our reception, I would burst into tears. Fuck, I was struggling not to now.

The car stopped just outside the front doors. I sat there, collecting myself. Steeling myself to face everyone alone again.

A few raps at the window and the door opened. Logan got in and closed it.

"Take us for a ride chief."

The driver nodded and the window went back up again. I looked at Logan and he looked back at me.

"You okay kid?"

I let out a shaky breath and nodded my head. That's when the first tear fell. Logan came and sat next to me. I cried as he held me, rubbing my back.

"He'll be back Rose."

I nodded.

"We haven't even been married an hour yet."

Logan laughed.

"I know it's hard kid. But what he's doin, it's good. Fer him, and us."

I looked at him now.

"What do you mean?"

"Lamens terms?"

"Don't you lamens terms me Logan Howlett."

He smiled and nodded.

"Him being there gives us an in. An ear on the situation and he gets to do what he likes best. It's a win win for everyone."

"Except me."

He nodded sadly.

"Yeah, except you."

"If I could go back in time, I would have had the driver run over that green man."

"Green man? Rose, have ya gone crazy?"

"I don't think so. We were stopped by a green man with a crazy nasty tongue."

"Toad."

"Huh?"

"Toad. He's a mutant like us. A brotherhood agent."

I nodded. What a name.

"Who else will he be working with?"

"I don't know Rose. Probably Magneto himself, Mystique. Some others."

"Who's Mystique?"

"Magneto's number one. She's a dangerous little thing."

"Oh great. Not I have to worry about some dark and mysterious woman trying to tempt Victor."

"I wouldn't worry about that Rose. She's not exactly his type."

"How so?"

"Well, she's five foot seven, red hair, blue skin, scales."

My eyes were wide. Oh. Well maybe I didn't have anything to worry about.

"We should get back to the party."

"Yeah. Guess I'll pull my own garter off."

That made Logan howl with laughter.


	31. Chapter 31

** Newest! R.R.E.**

Victor called exactly 13 days after our wedding. He didn't even call me directly. He called Logan, who let me speak to him just long enough for him to tell me he was fine. That's it. No I love you Roslyn, this is almost over Roslyn. Just 'I'm fine, put the Runt back on.'

It stung. So I did what I thought sensible. I went out to Peach Lake, bought a $1.5 million dollar farm house from the early 1800's. I took the money from our account, put only my name on the deed. Yeah, I was pissed.

He's been gone almost six months now, and there has only been as many phone calls. Remy, Logan and myself are in the middle of renovating the house. The project kept me busy, kept my mind focused on something, instead of wondering and worrying about Victor.

"Earth to Rose."

I snapped my head up and looked at Logan. He was standing there, in nothing but his blue jeans and a white wife beater, sledge hammer draped over one shoulder.

"Where you at girl?"

"A million miles away. What were you saying?"

"I asked how the tile was coming."

I looked down. I was nearly finished. How'd that happen?

"Almost done."

"Good, come down and have a look at the kitchen. The Cajun's just finishing hooking up the dishwasher."

I smiled and got up off the floor. Logan and I were on much better terms now. He still teased about being my mate, but it was nothing like before. We were back to being friends again. He was also living here at the farm house with me, which I'm sure would send Victor into a fit of rage. But in all fairness, Remy was living here too. One big, strange, happy family.

I walked down the stairs and through the hallway to the kitchen. I smiled with pleasure. It was perfect.

"Remy love you Rose, but don't never ask him to do dis' again."

He pointed an accusatory finger at the dishwasher. Logan and I laughed. Remy smiled softly.

"How dem tiles comin'?"

"Slow and steady. But I'll get there."

"Food for my ravenous family!" Hank said as he came strutting in out of the bitter April wind. He carried with him three pizzas, and a grocery bag full of what looked to be beer.

"Ooh! Hank, when did you get back into town!"

I ran and flung myself into his already taxed arms. He laughed and handed over the goods to the boys so he could properly greet me.

"Look at this place! It's been utterly transformed."

"Work in progress Doc." Logan said as he snapped the top of a beer off and took a gulp.

"He's right. We've finished the downstairs, and are busting ass to get the second level done before it gets hot out."

Hank nodded.

"Need an extra pair of hands?"

I raised an eyebrow at Hank. I'm sure he had more important things to be doing then helping me remodel.

"We always need extra help. Are you sure you have time for this?"

"I've taken a holiday. I've been away from my family for to long."

I smiled at him. Hank was my father, in everything but name and blood. My real father had showed up some time back, but it was...strange. He was always butting heads with Logan. He didn't stick around long. Logan said he wouldn't. I wanted for so long to meet him, and when I finally had some alone time with him, discovered I didn't much like him. A terrible thing, I know. But all the same. He was loud, brash, rude, and extremely hostile. I realized now why the prison juiced him. Oh, he could be charming when he wanted something. But that was only at his leisure. I was glad to see him go.

"Hand over the grub bub."

At that everybody began to dig in. We sat at the island of my newly redone kitchen, drank beer and ate pizza. Only one thing could make this time perfect.

"Roslyn, you've hardly touched you pizza."

I looked down at the cooling slice of peperoni. I hadn't had much of an appetite lately.

"I'm not hungry."

I watched a look pass between the guys. I sighed. Here we go.

"Cher, Remy don't like to bring it up, but it worrying him now. You losin' weight you don't have."

That wasn't entirely true. I still had D cups and an ass. It was a thought I didn't point out to any of them.

"Five, ten pounds at the max."

"It's too much. Your beginning to look ill."

Look ill? I had a healing factor, I couldn't get ill.

"It's true Rosie. Your skin is dull, and your eyes are glassy."

"I'm just a little sad. It will pass."

Hank nodded and patted my hand.

"He will be back soon, I should think."

"Last call said he was just wrapping things up."

"Has Charles learned anything more? What is Magneto supposed to be doing?"

Logan shook his head. If he didn't know, then no one at this table did. When he wasn't here, he was there. My cell phone rang and it made me jump. I walked over and smiled at the picture of Jean. I slid my finger down to answer it.

"Rosie, I've finally decided."

I smiled. Jean had been even worse at picking out a spot than Victor had.

"Where?"

"The big apple orchard on your property. You have to say yes or I will explode."

"Of course you can use my orchard. I'm assuming you want to do it when the flowers blossom?"

"That's the idea."

"And when does that happen?"

"I have no idea."

"Well, you've got the location locked down at least. We can work on time later."

"I know this is asking a lot, but I want to do the reception there too."

My eyes widened with surprise. Hey, it's her wedding.

"Sure. Plenty of space back there."

I heard her let out a sigh of relief. Like I would ever say no. She could have asked to get married on my roof and I would have said yes.

"I'm not keeping you from anything am I?"

I glanced back at the island, where the guys sat merrily drinking their beer and chowing down.

"Nah. I was just putting back some beer with the boys."

"Now your starting to sound like one of them. What will Victor think when he comes back and his sweet, girly Rosie has been replaced by a salty wench?"

This made me laugh so hard I had to brace myself on the wall to keep from falling. I told Jean I would call her back when I had more self control. She laughed and hung up. I walked back to the island, still laughing about what Jean said.

"That's better. What did Miss Gray say that made you laugh so hard?"

"She asked if she was interrupting anything, and I told her I was just putting some back with you guys. Then she asked me what Victor would think when he came home to see the girly, sweet me replaced by a salty wench."

They were silent for a moment before they erupted into loud peels of laughter.

"Salty wench? Jean's been readin' Moby Dick again."

This brought on a whole new round of laughter. I felt much better than I had in the last couple of weeks. I needed this. Laughter made my stress melt away, if only for a short while. We quieted down, and began discussing what was left of the remodel. Hank was excited to get to work in the morning. I showed him to one of the vacant guestrooms. One of the main reasons I bought this house was because of the sheer size of the place. Six bedrooms, five bathrooms, study, kitchen, dining room, living room, foyer, pantry, cellar, and attic. I came back down to clear the mess, and test out the new dishwasher(worked like a dream).

I relaxed into the claw foot tub, the hot water soothing away built up tension. Half an hour in, my phone rang. I smiled as the familiar tune hit my ears.

"This is a surprise."

"Hey baby."

I shuddered. Miles away, on a phone, and he could still make me do that.

"Are you alright? You never call me directly."

"I'm fine. What are you wearing?"

I smiled. Phone sex. Really?

"Nothing."

"Mmm. Why's that?"

"I'm soaking in the tub."

"Thinking about me?"

"All the time. When are you coming home? And don't say soon. I hate that word."

"I know you do."

"Can you tell me where you are?"

He chuckled and that's when I realized he was in the doorway. Dumbfounded, I looked from my phone to the doorway and back again. He was standing there, leaning against the door frame with a wicked smile of his face.

I vaulted out of the tub and into his arms. He didn't care that I was sopping wet. The fact that I was naked was definitely not a downer either. He wrapped his arms around me and captured my mouth with his. He ran his hands over my back and ribs. He stopped suddenly and pulled away. He gave me a good, slow up and down. A small frown playing on his lips.

"Your thinner."

"I haven't had much of an appetite lately." I shrugged. What was everyone's deal. Most women would be thrilled, and so would there husbands/boyfriends.

"I'll have to work on that, in the mean time, I'm famished."

He picked me up and walked me over to the bed. It was a very, very big bed. Victor always complained about how small the one's we had slept in had been. So I had one custom made.

"I like the bed." He murmured between licking and sucking on my nipples. Victor and I hadn't been together since before the wedding. That was over six months ago. My body was so revved up, that I came just from his attention to my nipples. He grinned, loving how overly sensitive my body was.

"Ooh, this is going to be fun."

He kissed his way down the length of stomach, and straight onto my mound. He pushed his face in hard and drew in scent from his nostrils.

"It's been too long. I almost forgot..."

He started lapping at my slit, my hips bucking wildly, forcing him to hold me down while he dined on my nether regions. I was moaning and groaning, demanding he suck here, or lick there. He did so greedily.

"Didn't give yourself any relief while I was gone?" His toothy grin told me he found this all amusing.

"No.."

"I did. My hand isn't as good as you, but it got me through."

"I didn't think of..."

He gently nipped at my bud, and I screamed.

"So wet. Want me Roslyn?"

"Oh god yes! Don't tease me tonight Victor. Please."

I don't know if it was the desperation or the pathetic begging way I said it. Either was fine with me. Because Victor quickly disrobed and sheathed himself in me. I clamped down on him hard, using as many muscles as I could control down there. He moaned and then growled at the tight embrace.

"So fucking tight."

He began to rock in and out, slowly at first. I leaned forward and grabbed his ass cheeks, digging my nails into them. He growled and nipped at my exposed neck.

"Harder."

He rammed his hips into me harder, sending me back to the bed, only to come off it again with spine bending pleasure. I moved my hips with his, trying to take him deeper. His thrusts started to go wild, and I knew he was close. I clamped down on him again, listening to him growl and moan with pleasure. He grabbed my hips and flipped me over. My wet hair slapped and got stuck to my face as he mounted me. I screamed my pleasure into the pillows as the first wave of my orgasm hit. This seemed to spurn him on, his thrusts going even faster and harder. He came with a roar, and the sensation of being filled pushed me over the edge again.

He collapsed to the side of me, breathing hard. He looked at me and then reached out to pull me closer to him.

"Get over here."

It was rhetorical. I let him pull me flush to him. We laid like this through the cool down.

"Can you tell me about it?"

He sighed.

"Magneto is creating a booster. Takes mutant powers and amplifies them."

That can't be good. Imagine what we would be like, what Victor would be like he if were even stronger. Faster. The thought was terrifying.

"Just because?"

"He believes we're better than the humans. Gods. And now he'd figured out a way to make himself even more powerful."

"Isn't he really powerful already?"

"Yes."

"How do we stop him?"

"Let the geeks handle it. We have a honeymoon to go on."

I smiled and planted a kiss on his nipple.

"You know that we're not going until we stop him right."

Victor let his head fall back against the head board. It made a loud 'thunk' noise.

"Your such a bleeding heart sometimes."

"So you've said."

He looked down at me and I batted my eyelashes. He laughed and ran claw down the side of my face gently.

"I'll do it for you. Fuck, I'd find a way to rip the earth in half if you asked me."

"Good thing I would never ask you too."

He smiled and I smiled back. I laid my head down on his chest and began to doze. The smile never left my face. In the language that is known only as Victor talk, he just told me he loved me.


	32. Chapter 32

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Logan raised an eyebrow at me from over the island, which made me smile, and then grin, and then laugh. Which made Logan smile and laugh.

"Stop! Your making my spill my coffee."

Logan just grinned wider and took a sip of his coffee. This had been our morning routine for almost half a year. We were always the first up, so we drank our coffee and watched the sun come up together.

"This thing with Magneto, I want to help."

Logan nodded his head and took another drink.

"Figured you would. What's bozo think about that?"

"Haven't told him yet."

Logan gave me a crooked grin.

"Suppose you haven't told him that you been goin' on missions with me and the Cajun either."

"Must have slipped my mind."

"I'm sure it did."

"What slipped your mind?"

Damn. He always popped up when he shouldn't. I turned around to see Victor standing in only a pair of pajama bottoms, and a big blue cup of coffee in his hand.

"I've been going out on mission with Logan and Remy for a few months."

I waited for the explosion, but it never came.

"Good."

That's it? No lecture, no fight?

I looked at Logan and he shrugged. Well that went easier than I thought.

"How long you been living here runt?"

"Since she bought the house."

Victor's jaw was tight, but that was the only sign I saw of his anger.

"I needed help remodeling. And I was lonely."

"You were lonely, so you have him move in?"

His words were tight, controlled. He was very angry with me, us.

"Remy moved in too. I needed the help, and the company. What did you want me to do, sit out here all by myself, night after night?"

He looked about to say something, but stopped. He had no right to be angry with me.

"I'm home now, so you and the Cajun are out. Tonight."

I looked at Logan with big eyes. He was kicking them out?

"Victor you can't..."

"Can't what?"

I set my coffee cup down on the window ledge and stared out at the lake. It was beautiful.

"Don't you turn your back on me Roslyn. I'm talking to you."

"No, your talking at me. There is a difference."

I heard him snarl at me. I watched as Logan gently set his cup next to mine. He was getting ready.

"Logan and Remy stay. For the time being anyways. Remy's condo is being renovated, and Logan..."

"This probably ain't the best time for that Rose."

"Best time for what?" Victor was looking between us now. I could see his reflection in the window. He was expecting something terrible. I turned around to face him.

"Logan owns land adjacent to ours. In fact, I sold him the pole barn just a 1000 yards over on the right. Soon as we're done here, it's over there to make it liveable."

Victor looked less angry then before, but still pissed.

"Your brother is going to be our neighbor. He's going to be around all the time. So learn to play nice."

I figured now was as good a time as any to bug out. I picked up my coffee cup and headed back toward the kitchen. I waited a few breaths, just to make sure they didn't start fighting. Soon I heard the mumbling of them talking and relaxed. I hummed as I headed upstairs. It was laundry day here at Creed Manor. I smiled as I picked up Remy's basket of clothes, then on down the hall to Logan's. Hank just got in the night before, so he probably didn't have much yet. I swooped into my room and grabbed the little I had, then grabbing Victor's small bag and tossing it in the pile. Who knows how long it's been since whatever he had in there was washed.

I was separating the colors, laughing about how domestic I had become when the smell hit me. It was a woman's scent. I picked through the clothes, a feeling of dread dropping into my stomach. It was heady, earthy. It was a woman's arousal that I was smelling. The feeling of dread washed over me when I got to the source. A pair of Victor's pants. I tried pushing away the flood of thoughts that came. Maybe it wasn't what I thought it was. Maybe...it was a stripper or something? Grinding on him...

My doubts were washed away when I picked them up. Her juices had dried on the crotch of his pants. It was on the zipper, and even the inside. I could smell him on the pants too. He had sex with another woman in these pants.

I fell back on my ass, banging into the dryer.

He cheated on me.

Betrayed me.

Lied to me.

"Used your hand my ass."

I got up from the floor, rage and betrayal boiling my blood.

I had never been anything but loyal to him. And he had done nothing but cheat on me. First when he ran away, and now, when he was supposed to be out on a mission.

I ground my teeth as I thought of what to do. The same answer came coming up. Leave. Leave now before he hurts you again. I nodded, listening to the voice inside my head.

But not before I confronted him. I wasn't weak, or feeble. I was going to make sure he knew that I knew.

I stormed out of the washing room, the door swinging and hitting so hard it cracked. The noise drew everyone's attention. I felt their hearts speed up. I payed it no mind.

I walked into the front room where they were still standing.

"Rose what the hell was that...Rose what's wrong?"

Logan looked worried. His dark brow was furrowed. Victor looked at me and then to the pants in my hand. I saw him visibly wince.

"I don't know why I expected more from you."

When he didn't respond I threw the pants at him.

"Here's your souvenir, hope she was worth it."

I started to turn away when he spoke.

"Wait..."

I snapped my icy blue eyes back to him.

"You don't get to tell me what to do anymore. We're done."

I walked out of the room, and when I heard his footfalls, I ran, pulling my wedding rings off as I did and tossing them to the floor. I hope the diamond cut his foot open.

I pushed myself, using the training Logan and Remy had given me. I got out and into my car before Victor was even in the back hallway. I turned her over and gunned the engine. I took one last look back in my rear view mirror and cursed my self for doing so. Victor had run out into the yard, and was looking after me.

I sobbed as I sped wildly down the road. I had no idea where to go, what to do. I didn't grab money, or clothes. I couldn't use the credit cards in the car, they were in my married name. He would be able to track me using it. I left my phone upstairs in my bedroom. I had nothing. Except the car I was driving in.

I drove for two nights straight. Stopping only once to steal gas from a small station. I felt bad about that, but I wrote down the name on a scrap piece of paper. I would send them retribution.

It was on my third day that Charles contacted me.

_"Roslyn, are you alright?"_

I tried to ignore him.

_"You cannot ignore me Roslyn. I am trying to help."_

"I don't need any help."

_"Perhaps not. But we are worried about you. It's not safe to be alone, so far from us Roslyn."_

"Is that a threat?"

_"Of course not. But you have been fighting as one of my X-Men for months. You are known throughout the community because of your actions. You are highly recognizable."_

Food for thought.

_"Let me send someone out to you."_

I was thinking it over when the car suddenly lurched forward, flipping hood over trunk several times before landing roof side down. I felt disorientated for a few moments as I healed and tried to piece together what exactly happened.

_"Roslyn! Run!"_

Charles sounded on the verge on panic, which kicked me into high gear. I have no idea what caused me to flip, but I knew it wasn't natural. I listened as three sets of footfalls came near. One scent I recognized as the Toad guy's from after my wedding. And the female wasn't hard to miss. She was scent on Victor's pants. The third guy smelled of age and iron. I chanced a guess that this was Magneto, and the woman was what Logan had called Mystique.

"Come on out my dear. We mean you no harm."

"I doubt that very much."

I heard laughs all around, and then the metal began to tear around me. I watched with fascination and dread as my car peeled like open like a can of sardines.

Standing in front of me was a handsome older man, wearing a red helmet and cape. Toad looked like a toad, and the woman was naked, blue and covered in darker blue scales. She smiled at me and I curled my lip in a snarl.

"My my, she's a pretty thing too."

"That's her alright. I'd never forget a face like that."

I bared my teeth some more at Toad.

"Now that's not called for my dear. Come on out of there, you must be uncomfortable."

I was fine truthfully. I was in a low crouch, waiting for the right moment to spring out and run for the woods. He smiled at me and I got the feeling he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"My patience is wearing thin. I do not like to harm our kind, but if I have to, I will use force on you."

I chose that moment to spring, and he was ready for me. A metal band snapped around my neck painfully. But it got worse. I dropped to my knees in agony as a current ran through it and into my neck and head. I clawed at it, trying to get it off.

"That's made of adimantium my dear. You will not be able to break it. Few can."

My brain felt fuzzy, like static interference.

"Ah, the buzzing. I've been told it's rather unpleasant. But we don't want Charles snooping around now do we?"

"What do you want?"

"You my dear. Just you."

Mystique put a thick black bag over my head and I couldn't see anything. I felt hands roughly grabbing me up from the ground. I staggered over to what I assumed was a van. They roughly tossed me in.

I tried reaching out for Charles, but every time I tried, the collar increased the current. My head was nothing but fuzz. So I gave it a rest. Instead, I listened to everything around me. We passed a river, a school. Soon we were near a coast. I could smell the ocean, taste the salt in the air.

The doors of the van creaked open.

"Welcome to my home."

The bag was pulled off my face. We were miles and miles away from the mainland. How was this possible?

I watched as Magneto lifted a large flat sheet of metal and got it. He built the bridge, and took it down when he was done.

"Why do you want me?"

"When that buffoon Creed left, he took with him something very important to me. Now I am returning the favor."

"The booster?"

"My, aren't we a sharp one? Tell me, does he care for you? You better hope he does. Or I'll sink you to the bottom of the ocean."

My brain flashed back to the conversation I had with Hank on the plane. Drowning was one of the ways he thought we could die.

I blinked rapidly.

"You want to trade me for the booster?"

"Indeed."

"Then you better sink me sir, because my friends will never make the trade."

He smiled knowingly at me.

"They will my dear. They will."

I didn't like the conviction behind his look. Not one bit.


	33. Chapter 33

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I couldn't be sure how long I sat in the large room. A few days at the least. Magneto blocked up my window a few nights before. Maybe he knew something I didn't?

I couldn't believe how calm I was. I waited for myself to freak out, to cry, scream. It never happened.

I heard light footsteps and knew it was Mystique coming to goad me again. The door opened and she stepped inside, a nasty smile on her face.

"What? Did you leave some details out?"

Her smiled widened..

"Doesn't it just tear you apart? Knowing he came to me?"

"Desperate times and all."

She frowned at me. I learned early on in our chats that if I got angry, showed any emotion, it just egged her on.

"Maybe if you weren't such a prude, he wouldn't have had to come to me. To handle all of his desires."

I snorted. At this point in time, after learning everything in vivid, descriptive detail, I was numb. Victor had been sleeping with this woman on and off for years. Shouldn't surprise me.

"Probably."

I ignored her and thought about home. What was everyone doing right now? I couldn't help but think of Victor. Every time I did, my body burned. And not like it used too. This was different. He betrayed me, I was his mate and he betrayed me. And the bitch he humped was standing right in front of me. Spitting in my face. I wanted to tear her apart, and then him.

She moved closer, never suspecting that I was waiting for her to do so. It took time, but she believed me to be timid, meek. Everyone did. But that Roslyn is dead. She started dying the day her mate left her, and she took her last breath the day she found his pants covered in another woman's arousal.

Mystique leaned in, mere inches from my face.

"Awe, are you going to cry Roslyn? It's no wonder he came to me. Victor wanted a woman, not a sniveling little girl."

I couldn't help it, it just creeped up on me. A smile tore across my mouth right before I dug my claws into her neck. She screamed, the surprise on her face amusing. She tried to back away, but I dug my claws in deeper, tearing a large hole in her neck. I didn't want her to walk out of here. In fact, I didn't want her to walk ever again. Or breathe for that matter.

I twisted my hand, tearing through a new artery that splattered my face. I blinked in surprise. It was hot, almost searingly so. I pulled my hand away from her throat.

She fell back, spluttering and gasping for breath. I looked at my blood soaked hand, watching as it rolled down my forearm. It was hypnotizing. I shook my head quickly. The call of blood was always their, but I had resisted it. And this was why. The urge to lap at the blood was almost unbearable. I may not have been the same Roslyn, but I would never be Victor. I wouldn't let myself become a monster.

I dropped my hand to my side, sighing heavily. I bent down and checked her pulse. It was there, faintly. She would be dead soon if she didn't receive medical attention.

"You don't deserve this, but if I run into someone on my way out, I will send them back here."

It came out before I even realized what I was saying. Maybe the old Roslyn wasn't as dead as I thought.

I bent over and yanked the keys from her clutched hand. This better work. I opened the door and took off running. I had no clue if there were cameras. I figured not. I would have heard them. I closed my eyes and remembered how I got to my cell. Left, right and then right again. I kept running. I wasn't sure the range of the collar I was wearing, but I figured if I could get far enough away, and get to Logan, he would be able to get this off. I opened the bulk head door and stepped out onto a platform. My jaw dropped. Outside there was a storm raging. The ocean was violently churning, waves crashing into the small island. Lightning was slicing the sky open. I could hear footsteps crashing behind me, and yelling. I left my cell door open, another way I helped Mystique.

I had two choices, jump into the angry waters or go back to that cell. I jumped. I felt a buzz coming from the collar, it increased as I hit the water. I pushed through, swimming with all my might. I knew we were miles out, and my odds were low, but I had to try. I couldn't let him use me against my friends, my family. I would rather die out here, then a hostage in a cage.

The current was horrible, pulling this way and that. The collar gave another, long, painful buzz that burnt my neck and made me scream out in pain. My mouth and lungs burned with salt water. The collar kept throwing out random bursts, like it was shorting out. It took everything I had to keep my head above the water. I heard the wurring noise of boat engines and panicked. I dove under the water and swam with all my might. I felt a rock and clung to it.

It was hard to hear with the ocean so upset. But I could make out the engine sounds. They passed over head and I pushed off and toward the surface. I breached and gasped in greedy mouthfuls of air.

I could see spot lights in the distance. I had no idea which way was the right way anymore. I felt a wash of helplessness poor over me. I looked around, trying to see through the rain that pelted me, and the lightning that lit up the sky.

I picked a direction, not knowing why I choose it, but I began to swim in earnest. I put everything I had into it. The collar's shocks were growing weaker, until I couldn't feel them at all.

My muscles were ached, my body quickly recovering and then exhausting itself again. My eyes burned from the constant salt water that was forced into them.

I cried out in surprise and joy as my foot touched the sandy bottom. I laughed as I dug my feet in and ran to the beach. I fell and crawled the rest of the way, laughing and crying. My neck around the collar ached, like it wasn't healing properly. I felt a wash of exhaustion roll over me. I reached my limit, my body was running on nothing. I hadn't eaten or drank anything in I don't know how long.

"Charles..."

It was all I could think to do. I crawled a few more feet up, so that the waves didn't carry me back to sea.

"I'm so tired, Charles. I'm so tired..."

My eyelids drooped and I fell into darkness.

"Roslyn."

I heard my name echo around me, like they were yelling to me from a million miles away.

"Roslyn!"

I sat upright, taking in everything at once. Everything came back in startling clarity. I was on the beach, the storm was still raging. I looked over and saw Logan kneeling down next to me.

"Logan!"

I pulled him into a hug. He hugged me back fiercely, whispering in my ear,

"Thank God kid. Thank God."

I pulled away and looked at him. He looked worn, tired.

"Can you cut this off?"

I motioned to the collar. Logan unsheathed his claws.

"Logan wait! We don't know if that collar is connected to anything vital inside of her."

I looked up at Jean's voice and smiled.

"It's not."

Jean looked worried and then nodded.

"Be careful Logan."

I looked back at him and nodded. I closed my eyes. Getting cut when inevitable. Logan's slashed quickly, and I felt my skin open up with the collar. I instinctively put my hands to my throat where it poured blood for a few moments before it healed.

"Get me out of here."

Logan helped me up and he and Jean led me over to the jet. Inside was Storm and Scott. I didn't see Victor anywhere.

"We gotta go guys! We will only be in the eye for a few more minutes."

Jean shut the hatch and Logan lead me over to a seat.

"Get me a blanket!"

Jean scurried away and came black with a thick blanket.

"Eye? So we are in a hurricane."

Logan looked down at me with an eyebrow raised.

"What are you talking about Rose?"

"I was kidnapped in April. Hurricane season doesn't typically start until June, so unless this hurricane is out of season, I've been gone for two months."

"It's June 13th."

I nodded.

"I'm hungry."

Logan just nodded his head. I had been gone for two months? And nobody came for me? Nobody tired to rescue me?

"Why didn't anyone come?"

I felt Logan sigh and watched Jean blink rapidly.

"We couldn't find you Roslyn. Every time Charles tried, he was hit with a wall of static."

"That was the collar. I couldn't reach out. It interrupted my brain."

"Did it...did it burn you?"

Jean pointed to my neck. I looked down and saw some black marks. It must have.

"I think that happened when I jumped."

"Jumped?"

"From the platform on the island."

"You swam in this?"

"It was swim or stay a hostage."

Jean looked away, tears brimming in her eyes.

"I don't blame you. Any of you. I prayed that you wouldn't come, that you wouldn't make the trade."

"Trade?"

Logan looked down at me and I felt like I was missing some pieces.

"Where's Victor?"

"Back at the mansion."

"Does he know you've found me?"

"Not yet, Scott's about to radio it in."

"Don't."

"Why?"

"Is Victor leaving soon?"

"Next week. He was going to look for you."

I set my jaw. Victor knew where I was, he had been to the island. Mystique had told me so dozens of times. So why the ruse? And why did he keep that he had the booster from the rest of them? Something was wrong, I could feel it. But I couldn't put it all together.

"What's wrong Rose?"

"It's imperative that Victor doesn't know I'm coming. He needs to think I'm still missing."

I got strange looks from everyone.

"You think he had something to do with you being kidnapped?"

"Maybe."

"He was really upset when we found out."

"Because he didn't expect it. Victor stole from them, and they stole something back. Except they underestimated him. I wasn't most important to him. I never have been."

Jean looked at me with sadness. She understood what I was getting at. Victor had used me from the very beginning.


	34. Chapter 34

** Thanks for the reviews. Here's the newest.**

We landed and I could feel their eyes on me. I shook it off. I needed to speak with Charles. Run this past him. Make sure I wasn't jumping the gun.

_"I know what you're thinking Roslyn, and I feel there may be something to it. Come to my office."_

I nodded to myself. Unfortunately, while walking to the elevator, Victor came around the corner. His eyes landed on me and I saw his face light up. He had the audacity to look happy. He started coming closer to me.

"Don't let him near me Logan."

Logan moved in front of me, his claws ripping violently through the skin between his knuckles.

"What are you doing runt?"

"She don't want you near her."

Victor looked over Logan's shoulder to me. I looked back.

"Roslyn..."

I really hoped not to do this here, not to run into him.

"Why didn't you tell them you had the booster?"

I heard Jean gasp. Logan vibrated with rage.

"You had it all along?"

Victor locked eyes with mine. Steely gray met icy blue.

"I don't know what your..."

"Don't lie. It makes you look ridiculous."

Victor gave me a dark look.

"I stole it."

"She's been gone for months! And you had what they wanted all along?" Logan roared at Victor. "Look at her! She's half gone."

I looked down. My collar bones were sticking out more than usual. I may be a little emaciated.

"Where is the booster?"

Victor didn't answer. Then it hit me.

"You used it. You stupid, selfish, fucking retard! I was locked in a cage for months. Mentally tortured by Mystique and Magneto. No food, no water, no idea what day it was, or the time. I wasn't even allowed to use a bathroom. But congratulations on your upgrade."

He had the decency to look ashamed. My stomach grumbled loudly.

"Roslyn needs to eat." Charles's voice cut through the air as he came wheeling down the hallway.

"You new didn't you?"

Victor looked at me.

"Knew what?"

"Everything. That Magneto was creating the booster."

When he didn't say anything, I moved on. Spewing out everything I new or suspected.

"You'd been on the outs with the Brotherhood for awhile. But when you learned the booster was viable, and they had made it, you wanted it. So you used me to burrow into the X-Men. We were the perfect cover. You knew Charles would ask you to go in. You planned on it."

Logan had taken a step closer to me. He looked from Victor to me and back again.

"Did you know they were going to take her?" His voice was low, and deathly serious. Victor ran a hand over his unshaven face. When he looked up, his eyes were dark and dangerous.

"No. I didn't think they would take her."

I laughed. It was hollow and low.

"You didn't think they could. Your ego is unbelievable."

He shook his head.

"Your right. I didn't think they could."

Logan punched him in the face. I backed up a few feet, not wanting to get pulled in. I was too weak to fight. Just those few steps had made my knees buckle. Jean put an arm around my waist to support me.

"Get her to the lab."

Scott moved up and took my other side. A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I just wanted to sleep.

"What's wrong with her? Roslyn! Roslyn!"

I could hear Victor yelling behind me as darkness creeped over me.

**_Later-_**

****I could hear voices speaking near me.

"It seems the collar Eric put on her slowed her healing process down a substantial amount."

"What's the extent of the damage?"

"The electricity from the collar severely scarred her brain. It will take some time for her healing process to get rid of the build up."

"Do you think their will be any adverse effects until then?"

I heard Charles pause.

"Perhaps."

I opened my eyes.

"Hello Roslyn."

"Hello Charles."

"How are you feeling?"

"I have a headache and I'm hungry."

He nodded.

"I'm afraid you may have a headache for awhile. You have..."

"Built up scar tissue on my brain which will take awhile for my factor to dispose of because Magneto's collar slowed my healing factor. From the chin up at least."

Charles smiled.

"So you can hear when your unconscious?"

"I guess so."

I made a move to sit up but Charles put a hand on my shoulder and I let him push me back down.

"Your body may have recovered Roslyn, but give your mind some time before you get up."

I smiled. He was asking me to just lay down here and not go cause another fight.

"If you think that's best."

He smiled, his brown eyes shining.

"Let me take the bull by the horns on this one, you deserve a break."

I nodded.

"Can I get some food?"

"Of course. I would normally warn a starved person against eating too much to fast, but I believe in your case, it's not necessary."

I smiled at him again.

"What would you like Roslyn?"

I turned my head to look at Jean. She was all smiles looking down at me. She was so beautiful.

"Meat, I'm having a crazy craving for bacon. And strawberries, chocolate, Coke, oranges."

Jean laughed and tears shined in her eyes. He put a hand over her mouth, and quickly turned away. I watched her walk quickly out of the room, her shoulders shaking in silent sobs.

I turned my head to look at Charles.

"She was very upset when you were taken. Jean is...very fond of you. I believe you remind her very much of herself when she was young."

"I should go talk..."

"She is upstairs making your food right now."

I nodded., I would talk to her when she comes back down.

"Is he still here?"

Charles looked at me and then nodded.

"He was given two choices, leave, or be locked up in one of our cells."

"He's gone then?"

"No, he allowed himself to be locked in a cell."

I raised an eyebrow. Victor allowed himself to be locked up? Food for thought I guess.

"Why?"

"He loves you Roslyn."

I shook my head, Victor has never said the word love to me.

"Victor loves himself. Everything else is disposable."

Charles shook his head sadly.

"I am not overly fond of Mr. Creed, he has done some terrible things in his time. But I have noticed a change in him."

"Yeah, he took the booster. It amplified all of his powers."

"And his emotions."

"Oh great. Now he's even angrier."

Charles shook his head. He was about to say something when the door opened. Jean and Logan walked through, carrying two trays full of food. I felt my mouth water as the aroma's hit my nostrils. Charles raised the head of my bed so I was in a seat position. I grinned at all the food.

"Where you want to start kid?"

I gave him a smile and looked at everything in front of me. There was swiss cake rolls, butterfingers, snickers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, pizza hot pockets, chocolate covered pretzels, microwave lasagna, strawberries and hot chocolate sauce.

My eye brows went up. I grabbed the pizza hot pocket first and scarfed it down. Then I moved on to the lasagna. After the second pb&j, I was feeling nearly full. I eyed the strawberries and chocolate sauce.

Jean caught me and smiled.

"I thought you would like chocolate covered strawberries."

"I love them."

She beamed as she moved the things off the tray and replaced them with a small carton of strawberries and a little fondu pot full of chocolate. I dipped one in, and then tapped it against he edge a few times. I was about to bring it to my mouth when I realized everyone was staring at me. I set the strawberry down.

"Why are you all staring at me?"

Charles blinked a few times before answering.

"A few moments ago, I was staring at an emaciated woman, with sunken eyes, dull hair and and a sad aura. But now.."

"You look like your old self again Rose."

I looked over to Logan and smiled.

"I fell much better. Thank you. All of you."

They nodded.

"What are we going to do with him Rose?"

"Logan!"

Both Jean and Charles said his name at the same time. I looked at Logan as he stood at the foot of my bed, his arms crossed.

He had been right from the beginning.

"What? She's better. Just said so herself."

"We agreed not to discuss this until later."

"It's alright Jean. Logan, Charles is going to handle this. I don't want to be involved in this."

He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You really sitting this one out?"

I nodded. It was to close to me to make the right calls.

"I trust Charles to make the right choices when my judgment is clouded."

Jean nodded and Logan raised an eyebrow. He didn't believe me. I smiled at him again. He knew me so well.

Jean and Charles exchanged looks and then they both told me they would see me later. Now it was just me and Logan.

"Kid, you can't think of going back to him. Not after this."

I sighed. I didn't know what I thought where he was concerned.

"I..."

"Rose, he knew they were coming for you, and he didn't do shit. He might as well have handed you over!"

True, he could have at least told me, then I would have been more cautious.

"And, well, he cheated on you Rose."

I felt a growl start in my chest. I was aware that he cheated on me. The others I could forgive, god help me but I could. But not this. And not now. We were married, mated. Belonging to eachother and no one else. But he had someone else. More than once.

"I'm aware of that Logan. More than you could ever know."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet Logan."

He sighed. I knew what he wanted me to say. Dump him, come to me.

"Put yourself in my shoes. What if it was me doing all these horrible things to you? Could you leave me that easily?"

Logan looked at me hard.

"You would never do those things Rose, and I wouldn't neither."

"I know."

"Do you ever regret it Rose?"

"Sometimes."

He smiled at me. And I knew he would never give up on me.


	35. Chapter 35

** Thanks to everyone for the reviews/opinions. I love to hear what you all think about what's going on. This chapter is a little different, as I've never written on like it. So bear with me and let me know what you think. *R.R.E.**

Logan left and I quietly dozed, listening to the radio. It had been so long, I had no idea what was popular anymore. I heard an interesting beat and focused my hearing.

_"On the first page of our story,_

_ the future seemed so bright._

_ Then this thing turned out so evil,_

_ I don't know why I'm still surprised."_

I crinkled my brow. It was hitting a little close to home. I shut my eyes and listened some more.

_"Even angels have their wicked schemes_

_ and you take that to new extremes._

_ But you'll always be my hero,_

_ even though you've lost your mind._

_ Just gonna stand their and watch me burn, that's alright because I like the way it hurts. Just gonna stand their and hear me cry, but that's alright because I love the way you lie. I love the way you lie, oh, love the way you lie."_

I discovered sometime during the chorus that it was Rihanna singing. I was drawn in, the subject matter seemed to be pulled right from my life.

_"Now there's gravel in our voices,_

_ Glass is shattered from the fight._

_ In this tug of war you'll always win,_

_ even when I'm right._

_ Cause you feed me fables from your head,_

_ with violent words and empty threats._

_ And it's sick that all these battles,_

_ are what keep me satisfied."_

I thought about all the lies Victor had told me in the two years we'd known eachother. All the empty promises of violence. My mind skimmed back, playing memories like a projector in my head. Victor screaming at me that he was my mate, Victor pinning me up against the cabinets in the kitchen, crushing me in the hallway by Hank's lab.

"_Just gonna stand their and watch me burn, that's alright because I like the way it hurts. Just gonna stand their and hear me cry, but that's alright because I love the way you lie. I love the way you lie, oh, love the way you lie._

_ So maybe I'm a masochist_

_ I try to run, but I don't wanna ever leave_

_ Til the walls are goin' down_

_ and smoke with all our memories."_

I listen as Rihanna's beautiful voice is replaced by an angry, harsh Eminem.

_"This morning, you wake, a sun ray hits your face_

_ Smeared makeup as we lay in the wake of destruction._

_ Hush baby, speak softly, tell me I'll be sorry_

_ that you pushed me into the coffee table last night_

_ So I can push you off me._

_ Try and touch me so I can scream at you not to touch me._

_ Run out the room and I'll follow you like a lost puppy._

_ Baby, without you I'm nothing, I'm so lost, hug me._

_ Then tell me how ugly I am, but that you'll always love me."_

I lay back against the pillow, digesting what Eminem was screaming about. He was so good at this, putting emotion to the already loaded words. I could almost hear Victor saying some of those things to me. I can't remember a time when I walked away from him that he didn't come after me, stalk me.

_"Then after that, shove me, in the aftermath of thee,_

_ Destructive path that we're on, two psychopaths but we_

_ Know that no matter how many knives we put in each others backs_

_ that we'll have each others backs cause we're that lucky._

_Together, we move mountains, let's not make mountains out of molehills,_

_ You hit me twice, yeah, but whose counting?_

_ I may have hit you three times, I'm startin' to lose count_

_ But together, we'll live forever, we've found the youth fountain._

_ Our love is crazy, we're nuts but I refuse couselin'_

_ This house is too huge, if you move out I'll burn all two thousand_

_ Square feet of it to the ground, ain't shit you can do about it._

_ With you I'm in my fuckin' mind, without you, I'm out it."_

_ "Just gonna stand their and watch me burn, that's alright because I like the way it hurts. Just gonna stand their and hear me cry, but that's alright because I love the way you lie. I love the way you lie, oh, love the way you lie."_

I shut the radio off when the song ended. I can't say that we'd been through a lot, because truthfully, I'd been through a lot, and Victor was the cause. But we'd put each other through some shit in our short time. Did I really want to walk away from all of our history? Did I still love him through the fights, the scream fests, the blood?

I swung my feet over the edge of the bed and hopped down. I know Charles asked me to wait, but I had to see him. It was the only way I would know. I could run, here and now, but that was cowardly. If I could still leave after seeing him, then I would really be free.

A line kept repeating in my head from the song. _"Our love is crazy"_. Over and over it played, like a slide slow, complete with images from my own life.

The hallway was cool, the dark red underwear and tank top were not built for this. But I was unconcerned about that. I pattered my way toward the cells. He would hear me coming, probably heard everything being said earlier, now that he was a super mutant.

The door to the cells was locked. The tiny, long slit of a window was wide enough for me to punch my hand through and reach the lock. I twisted it with ease.

I could smell him now. It was earthly, male. It was Victor. I would know it anywhere, from anything. He was sitting on the edge of a bunk, his face in his hands. He looked up when I stopped in front of his cell.

He didn't look like a super mutant. He looked like he always did. Although a bit, out of sorts. His usual neat appearance was gone. His mutton chops were swallowed by a short beard that covered the bottom half of his face. His hair was also a little longer, and he was wearing a blue thin flannel, with the sleeves rolled up to show off his muscular forearms.

"Roslyn..."

"Why did you do it?"

His storm cloud colored eyes burned into mine.

"I was sure you were back here, with Logan."

Not surprising. He was obsessed with the idea of me and Logan. Always comparing himself to him. It was his own private disorder.

"I have never touched Logan. Your my mate, and no matter how much I missed you, or how horny I was, I kept myself in check. I have only ever asked one thing from you, and that was that you be loyal to me. So why do you keep betraying me? Why do you want to hurt me so much?"  
>He jumped up from the bed and came to stand at the bars, near me. He stuck an arm out tentatively and stroked my bare arm with the lightest of touches. I didn't move.<p>

"I never wanted to hurt you."

I nodded. For someone who never wanted to hurt me, he sure as hell did it a lot.

"I gave up on the booster."

"Excuse me?"

"When I was gone the first time, I went back to the brotherhood. Magneto couldn't make the booster work. I decided I wanted you more."

"Then you had me and what, changed your mind?"

"Never. I marked you, your mine. But I thought if I got the booster, I'd be better. And you wouldn't.."

He stopped talking and hung his head. He took the booster to be better than Logan.

"Wouldn't what? Leave you for Logan? Victor, that's ridiculous! How many times do I have to tell you, how many times do I have to prove myself to you? I don't want your brother, I on;y ever wanted you."  
>He looked up then, his eyes growing dark.<p>

"Wanted?"

I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I'm not sure I can forgive you this time."

I watched him shake with rage. I felt my fight or flight beginning to kick in. He would be able to get through those bars without breaking a sweat. The old Victor was terrifying enough, but now...He was, there were no words for what he was now.

He let go of his grip on the bars and paced back and forth inside the cell. I stared at where his hands had been, the metal was contorted and bent out of shape. I felt fear creep up my spine.

"Jesus Roslyn, what do you think I'm going to do? Rip out of here and rape you?"

"I wouldn't be able to stop you if you did."

He stopped pacing and looked at me.

"Your my wife. My mate. I..."

"Would never hurt you. Your a broken record Victor. And a hypocrite. You've hurt me, physically, many times."

He growled, a deep, guttural sound. It made the hairs on my body stand up. This was going nowhere fast. We always came back to the same place. Here.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"Maybe we should just, take a break. Separate for awhile."

The metal bars ripped like tinfoil. I didn't even have a chance to move. He had me pinned between the wall and himself. My chest was rising and falling in quick, terrified breaths.

"You want to leave me?"

I could feel his hot breath on the side of my face. I concentrated hard on the floor, keeping my head angled down and my eyes averted. The good submissive.

"Look at me Roslyn!"  
>I shook my head no. I didn't want him to see the tears that had begun to leak out of my eyes. I felt his body shift away some. He was still touching me, but it wasn't aggressive. He gently placed a finger under my chin and lifted it up to look at him.<p>

"Look what I've done to you."

He let go of my chin and pulled me into an embrace. I was stiff at first, not sure what to expect. This was still Victor Creed after all.

"I fucked up, hurt you, ruined everything. You want a break? Okay. Take a break, go away for awhile. Just keep the geeks updated."

I looked up at him through my hair. What was with the mood swing? He was agreeing to let me leave him?

"But I'll be here, in our house, waiting for you. I don't care if it takes forever. I'll be there."

And just like that, I knew I couldn't go. I could never leave him. No other man held appeal to me, no one could compare. He may not be the best man, but he was MY man. And I was not a deserter.

"Say it," I whispered against his chest. I needed to hear it.

He sighed and held me tighter.

"I love ya Roslyn."

I smiled against his chest, and wound my arms around him. It's all I needed to hear.


	36. Chapter 36

**We're winding down here, maybe four or five chapters left in Victor and Roslyn's saga. (Sorry Cew, I know you wanted Logan and Roslyn together, but it didn't feel right. Good news, I'm going to write a Logan fanfic. So look for that in the future.) Without further ado, here's the newest. R.R.E.**

It felt good to be in his arms again. But there's something I realized, something I probably knew all along. Love does not negate anger. And I had a lot of it.

While Victor was holding me, I balled up my fist and slammed it into his cheek. His head snapped back and he stumbled back.

"Roslyn what the fuck?"

I looked at him, and felt a dangerous smile creep up on me.

"I love you, but you cheated on me, and now I'm gonna make you pay."

"Roslyn baby, you don't want to fight me."

He had a cocky grin on his face that both turned me on and pissed me off at the same time. I launched at him, raking my claws through the flesh on his chest. He pushed me away easily, but I got back up and came at him. He caught my wrists with one of his massive hands and hoisted me into the air. My toes were just barely touching the floor. He tssked me, wagging a finger in front of my face. I swung my leg back and slammed it into crotch. He dropped me, and bent over, nursing his boys. I grinned.

"I can't say I know how that feels, but the pain's nothing compared to what I felt, listening to that blue whore tell me about the two of you."

He looked up, his eyes wide, his face still slightly pained.

"She what?"

"Told me everything. Spared no detail."

Victor stood up and ran a hand over his face.

"Should have gutted the bitch when I had the chance."

"You should have never have touched her in the first place."

He nodded.

"She found a picture of you in my bag."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"She's a shifter. She looked like you."

My brows came together in thought. She came to him looking like me?

"And you didn't find that at all suspicious? That I found you in a secret base, guarded by powerful mutants?"

"It was after I took the booster. I was...messed up."

I wasn't sure if I believed him or not. And he saw that.

"I realized it wasn't you and threw her out."

"Was that before or after you fucked her for the hundredth time?"

He looked confused.

"I don't know."

I was glad I ripped her throat out. The bitch waited until he was messed up and then shifted to look like me. She took advantage of him, though I would never say that out loud to him.

I sighed. Love was about faith, about trust. And sometimes going out on a limb for someone.

"I'm going to go ahead and believe what your telling me to be the truth."

He nodded and then went to move toward me, but thought better of it.

"Your not going to kick me again are you?"

I smiled at him.

"I got it out of my system."

"Good, because you ever do that again, I'll..."

"Don't threaten me Victor. Your already on thin ice here."

His face blanked, and then he threw his head back and laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"You."

I'm not sure what was humorous about this situation. But Victor was his own man.

"Are we ok now?"

I thought about it.

"Yeah, we're okay."

He strode over and encircled me in his arms. He kissed the top of my head over and over.

"You gonna tell me what happened between you and Mystique?"  
>I looked up at him. How did he know?"<p>

"What?"

"Your shirt was stained with blood."

"How do you know it's not mine."

"Heightened senses Roslyn. I could smell her."

I bit my lip.

"I got carried away, lost control."

"You didn't lose control baby, you finally followed your instincts. Listened to the animal."

I looked at him, and he was grinning, his canines gleaming in the light.

"How was it?"

"Dangerously addictive. I can't go down that path again. I'll lose myself."

He nodded and held me tighter.

"I won't let you."

Victor hooked a claw under my chin and made me look at him.

"I'm the beast Roslyn, and your my beauty."

I smiled at him and leaned in to kiss him. I felt his lips curve into a smile as they touched mine. It was the first time we had kissed since this whole mess had started. I felt the rush, the blood in my veins turn hot. Only he could do this to me. He could turn me on with a look, a chaste touch. A kiss.

"Hmm..." Victor said as he inhaled deeply through his nose

"Still my girl."

"Always."

He grinned and kissed me again, this time with intense passion. His tongue invaded my mouth, reclaiming his territory. I fought him, making him work for it.

"You telling me no Roslyn?"

"Just making you work for it."

"I love a good fight."

He picked me up, my legs wrapping around his hips as he pushed us against the wall. I was all for impromptu sex, but not in the cell block of Charles's mansion.

"Not here Victor."

He ignored me and started kissing my neck. I put my hands on his face and forced him to look at me.

"What if someone walks in?"

He grinned.

"I don't give a shit."

Time to drop the L bomb.

"What if Logan walked in? I don't want him seeing me naked Victor."

His head snapped up and over to the door. I would never tell him that Logan had seen me nearly naked once. We were renovating the house and I was in the shower downstairs while he and Remy worked in the next room. The drywall cracked and fell, shattering the shower door and raining glass all over me. It also let a sizable hole in the wall, from which both Remy and Logan got a pretty good gander at me in my birthday suit.

He set me down. I knew it would work. It always did. Logan was an instant turn off for him.

"Let's go home."

"Okay."

He took my hand, and we started walking toward the door before he stopped. He turned around and looked at me.

"You can't go upstairs in that. Give the runt a heart attack."

He started unbuttoning his shirt. My breath hitched in my throat as I watched him. He seemed larger, his muscles bigger, and his abs were more defined. I stared at him, the heat beginning to pool between my legs.

He raised an eyebrow at me as I stared.

"Careful Roslyn, we might not make it home."

He moved forward to hand me the shirt and I grabbed his wrist. He looked at me and cocked his head.

"How big do you think the cot is in there?"

He grinned and was on me in a second. I couldn't help it. Victor brought out the bad girl in me. I giggled as he picked me up and ran back into the ruined cell. He flopped me down on the small, hard bed and pulled my tank top over my head. He slammed his chest down on mine, growling at the feel of my erect nipples on his bare chest. He devoured my mouth, grinding his jean covered groin on me.

"Victor..."

He sat up quickly, undoing his pants and releasing his cock. He slid a hand up and down his shaft a few times, grinning at me as he did so.

"Need help?"

He raised an eyebrow at me and laughed. He let go of his cock and reached for my underwear. I lifted my hips as he slid them down.

"Hmmm. I can already taste you."

He kissed the inside of my knee, moving slowly up. He licked and kissed his way to my slit. He took a long, slow lap, starting low and working his way up. I shivered with pleasure, my skin alive with pleasure.

He reached my clit and began sucking on it. Hard. I felt the slow, hot build. My breathing was ragged, and I was having trouble staying silent. I grabbed his hair, pulling on it hard. He groaned into my pussy.

He pulled away, licking his lips.

"So good."

He was at my entrance, teasing me. I moaned and rolled up hips up toward him. He growled at me, grabbing my hips and slamming into me. I threw my head back, reveling in the feeling of him inside me.

"Ahhh, fuck Roslyn."

He started moving in and out slowly. I moaned as he hit the spot over and over. He leaned forward so his forearms were resting by my head. He kissed me and picked up the pace.

"Mine," he moaned as he picked up the pace.

I started moving my hips with him, trying to speed it up. He got the message, and began drilling into me.

"Oh god, oh god Victor. Oh!"

He grabbed my hips and flipped us so I was riding him.

"Ride me baby."

I began grinding on him as hard as I could. I used his shoulders for leverage. I watched as he stared at me. He looked at me so intensely, that it made me self conscious. I looked away.

"Look at me Roslyn."

I turned back to him, slowing my pace.

"Don't slow down, ride me hard baby. Get yours."

I started riding him again, keeping eye contact with him. It wasn't until I felt my orgasm close at hand that I broke away from his hypnotizing stare. I threw my head back and screamed out my pleasure. Victor flipped us back over, positioning me so I was on my hands and knees. He entered my hard, getting his now.

I moaned and groaned. This was one of the best positions. He went so deep. I felt heat again as he pounded into me. His thrusts lost rhythm, and I knew he was coming. I squeezed down on him hard, as he continued to pound me. I came as he pounded and screamed into the mattress. I heard him roar and felt his weight drop down onto me. He pulled out and rolled onto his back, breathing hard.

I slipped my hand over and gave his cock a gentle squeeze. He grunted and I said,

"I think this is my favorite part of you."

He grabbed me and pulled me flush to him. I rested my head on his shoulder, while he played with my left hand.

"It's definitely a large part of who I am."

I laughed at his ego. He kept turning looking at my left hand, turning it this way and that.

"What are you doing?"

"I think you need a bigger diamond."

I looked at my hand, remembering the size of the other one.

"I like the ring I have now."

"The ring you threw at me?"

I nodded my head.

"yeah."

"I got rid of that one."

I sat up.

"You got rid of my wedding ring!"

He grinned and leaned over the side of the bunk. I leaned over, trying to see. He gave me a gentle push backwards.

"No peeking Roslyn."

I felt my curiosity peak. He sat back up, his fists clenched. I waited, and he just sat there.

"VICTOR!"

He grinned.

"Pick a hand."

I looked down and studied his hands. I couldn't tell which one. So I went with his dominant hand.

"The right one."

He raised an eyebrow and opened his right hand. Inside was a ring. With a massive diamond. I looked at Victor with wide eyes.

He grabbed my left hand and slid the ring on. It was definitely big. And showy. He looked at it and smiled.

"That's better."

I shook my head.

"It's beautiful."

"It's just a rock. Your beautiful."

He tucked a piece of fly away hair behind my ear and I smiled.


	37. Chapter 37

**So I know I said a few more chapters, but I don't want to drag this out. I hate it when it's all filler, not substance. So this is the conclusion to Roslyn & Victor's story. But don't fret, they'll pop up every now and then in the Logan Fanfic I'm doing. Be on the look out for it soon. Love you guys!**

I leaned my face into his hand as he tucked some hair behind my ear. It was the moments like this, that helped negate all the terrible shit we did to each other.

"Come here baby."

I did. I laid my head down on his chest while he gently stroked my back.

"So where are we going for our honeymoon."

"Someplace far away."

"Hmm, warm or cold."

"Warm."

I liked the heat. I just wasn't too fond of humidity. He better not take me to a jungle.

"Do you think Logan will ever find his mate?"

He was silent for some time before saying,

"Anything's possible. I managed to find you."

I nodded. That he did.

"We better get upstairs, before they come looking and find us."

He just grinned.

"You may be comfortable with public nudity, but I, for one, am not."

"Prude."

I sat up in astonishment. I was not a prude! I just had sex on a cot in a 6 by 8 cell, in the middle of a school!

"I am not a prude, Mr. Creed. I just believe that some things should be sacred, kept secret for just one person."

He grinned.

"That's fine Mrs. Creed, but back at our house, I want to see my wife walk around naked."

I looked at him.

"I have never walked around naked in my life. Never been comfortable with it."

"Get comfortable, or I'll take all your clothes and burn them."

I sighed. This was not something I was going to win.

"Guess I'll try it out on our honeymoon."

"That's my girl."  
>Next he'll be talking me into sex while driving the car. I laughed at the thought.<p>

"What?"

"Just a funny thought."

I got up and shrugged his flannel on. Too bad everything else was destroyed. I sighed. I seemed to lose more clothes around the man.

"I'm going to need to buy new underwear."

He laughed.

"That could be fun."

It was my turn to laugh. Taking Victor underwear shopping could be exciting. And probably disastrous.

"Hand me that blanket."

He did and I wrapped myself in it. I watched Victor get dressed and marveled in him. He was perfect.

"I want to go to college."

He stopped dressing for a moment, and looked at me. Then he snapped out of it and finished zipping himself up.

"Where?"

"I've got a full ride to Harvard, thanks to Hank. They don't even care that I don't have my bachelor's degree."

"Why's that?"

"They saw my work with Matt and were impressed."

He nodded.

"What do you think?"

"You want to go to college, okay. Let's go."

"Really!"

I was stoked beyond what I could describe. Victor was not only ok with me going to college, he would come with me.

I grinned at him.

"When you want to go?"

"Fall semester?"

He nodded.

"Couple of months away. Time to find a house down there."

"Thank you Victor."

He looked at me, and nodded his head.

"Think I would let my wife go off to a male dominated school?"

I laughed.

"I'm a mated feral, not to mention a married woman."

"It's not you that I don't trust, it's them."

"Look at this thing, who would hit on me?"

I held up my left hand, showing off the ring that would make Beyonce's look small.

He grinned.

"Maybe I'll even take a few classes."

I looked at him over my shoulder as we walked out of the room.

"Yeah, what would you study?"

He shrugged his massive shoulders at me. I smiled and he slipped his hand into mine. This was the start for us, the real start. I could feel it. Everything was going to change. We were going to change.


End file.
